Konoha High School
by Akatsukifreak24
Summary: This story revolves around my two OC's Suine Iburame and Melody Nami, who are quickly enticed by two popular boys; Kisame and Itachi. Many twists and turns, lots of fluffy romance and tons of humor! I tried to stay as close to the material as possible while adding my own things into it. I do hope you enjoy :) Sorry for a bad summary, but you will just have to try the story out! :)
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: This is purely fan-made! All of Naruto, including characters and plots all belong to Masashi Kishimoto. _

_Like i said in the summary, I tried to stay as close to the material as possible while adding my own spin on things! This is obviously a high school version of Naruto. I hope you enjoy :) _

_Welcome to Konoha Academy_

"Welcome, bright and creative new students." The booming voice of the principal echoed through the large gymnasium filled with students of every grade, sitting on cold hard plastic chairs that made every student try to adjust themselves to find comfort, "We are so excited that you have chosen Konoha Academy to represent your next four years!"

"Stupid opening ceremony." A girl groaned next to me.

I looked to the girl sitting beside me, her name was Melody. She was entering third year, along with me. She had her light baby blue hair tied up into a high ponytail, since it was boiling in here. The ponytail ended the moment the tip of her skirt began. She wore the grey uniform, like every one of us girls were forced to wear. The sailor outfit was very popular to each of these high schools, but ours had a green ribbon, to represent our country, the Leaf. At the left chest area was the school's emblem, a circle with a pointed end and a tip. It's supposed to be some retro leaf but it looks like a snail if you ask me. She also wore the grey skirt that ended a bit above her knees. She wore black knee high socks and the uniform black dress shoes.

I always thought the men got the better deal when it came to the uniform. They wore a dark blue jacket that covered their entire chest, with yellow buttons. Then they wore dark blue dress pants and black dress shoes. And just like our uniform, they had the school's symbol at the top left of their chest. Lucky assholes, they don't have to wear any skirts.

Melody looked to me as my thoughts trailed off. I had known Melody ever since I came here, since first year. She had been my best friend, through thick and thin, no matter what. I could never thank her enough for everything she has done for me.

"I know, right?" I told Melody who lightly chuckled, "These things are so boring..."

"Hey isn't your friend in first year now?" Melody asked as I nodded, "I'll bet we will be adding them to our pack! I'm so excited to finally have people I like coming into this school."

"I agree...I bet that they are excited to move on from little grade school. I'm happy that we can help them out."

"We have to find them the moment we get out of this stupid ceremony."

"Sure!"

"And now please welcome your student council..." The principal began, "We will start off by introducing our student council president, Pain!" The principal said as an orange haired, white eyed boy- who I might add, has way too many piercings- came up to the stage, "Our vice president, Tobi!" A boy with an orange mask on came up happily to the stage, "Our treasury Kakuzu!" A older boy had his brown hair hanging down, his dark green eyes giving an eerie look to him came up to the stage, "Our class representatives, Kisame Hoshikage, Itachi Uchiha, Deidara, and Sasori!"

I don't even know where to begin. The red haired boy with deep brown eyes came up to the stage first but I knew that his name was Sasori. Sticking right beside him was Deidara, a blonde haired boy with blue eyes, who never wanted to leave Sasori's side. Kisame was a boy with dark blue hair, black eyes and blue skin. Long story short he got into an accident that involved a lot of blue paint that never left his skin. The moment Itachi got onto the stage, girls shrieked in excitement. His raven hair was tied into a low ponytail, his raven eyes looked coldly into the crowd, as if he couldn't care 6less about being here.

"And last, but not least, our other members, Zetsu, Hidan, and Konan." The principal finished the introductions of the Student Council, though I doubt they actually had any care about the student's needs. They were more a less bullies that got to the job first.

Zetsu was an interesting case, he had two personalities stuck within himself, making people question his sanity. However, Zetsu just rolled with it, painted one side of himself black, just to show that was his other half. Hidan was your classic alcoholic, addicted since he was seven, and no one really knows why he is on the student council. Konan was one of the most beautiful girls in school, any guy would love to be her boyfriend. However, she was Pain's girl, and no one messed with Pain.

"Wow, I hate the Student Council..." Melody began as I turned to her, "Bunch of assholes if you ask me. They hurt everyone they can get their hands on. If they could, I'd bet they would take over this school. However, Principal Tsunade would never let that happen. Thank God!"

"We'd all be nothing but toast if she allowed that to happen." I giggled.

"The Student Council always cares for the well-being of students and has openings for any student that wishes to join." Pain lightly smiled but it made him seem creepier, "And if anyone has any concerns about the school, do not hesitate to bring them forward to the Student Council!"

"Thank you Pain." Tsunade told Pain as she took the microphone back from him, "Now this concludes our entrance ceremony! Go forth and show this Academy everything you have! Never once back down and be yourself!"

With that last note, we all stood up, rushing to the doors of the gymnasium to get out of here. Melody gripped onto my arm, making sure she doesn't lose any sight of me. We made it past the rows of chairs and into the crowd of people, slowly but surely making it out of the gymnasium alive. The moment we headed out of the gymnasium I stared at the breath taking view of the courtyard, which was to the right of the covered walkway.

Cherry blossom trees were all around the courtyard, the four biggest trees were behind the stone benches. They had the stone benches in a circle, in the middle of all the grass. I had always loved this courtyard; it always provided me with some sort of comfort when I was down. Standing in the courtyard was one of my old friends, Sakura Haruno. I immediately pulled Melody out of the crowd and headed over to her and her friends.

"Sakura!" I happily said as Melody realized who I was bringing her too, "There you are!"

"Oh Suine!" Sakura replied as she turned to me with a beautiful smile on her face.

She had changed since I last saw her, her pink hair was now cut short, only touching her shoulders. And those green eyes of hers showed a bit more sadness in them. I wonder what had happened to her. Sitting on the benches with Sakura were two other girls that I had met a long time ago as well, Hinata Hyuga and Ino Yakamaura. Both best friends to Sakura.

"Oh sorry, guys this is Melody Nami, Melody these are my friends I told you about." I introduced them as Melody nodded happily, "Sakura what's wrong? You seem a little down in the dumps."

"I don't want to talk about it..." Sakura sadly stated but I just turned to Ino who sighed.

"It's about Sasuke..." Ino began.

"Isn't it always?" I chuckled, "What happened?"

"She...She heard that Sasuke is dating that girl, Karin."

"Karin? But she is the number one bitch of all time. How can someone so nice date someone like her?"

"Well Sasuke's been going through a lot lately, and it seems like Karin is using that to get to him."

"What could possibly drive him over the edge like that?"

"His brother, Itachi...Keeps causing problems in the family business. It's putting a wedge in between their family."

"Or in between him and Sasuke?"

"Yeah...Well that's the rumour at least. He has been ignoring Sakura all day, no matter how many times she tries to talk to him."

"Well I could see why she would be upset."

"I just want to be able to talk to Sasuke-kun...But now, thanks to his damned older brother..."

"Look..." I sighed, "I don't particularly like Itachi either but we don't know the full story. What if Itachi has a good reason?"

"You always think of the better side of things, Suine-Chan..." Hinata shyly remarked.

"Hey look!" Melody pointed out as we all turned our attention to the entrance to the gymnasium which no longer had a group of people, but two boys. Itachi and Sasuke.

Sasuke started yelling at Itachi, something that I couldn't understand or hear but it looked like it hurt Itachi a lot. Itachi sighed and looked like he tried to calm down the situation but Sasuke was not having it. Sasuke suddenly got more angry and punched Itachi in the face, pushing him down on the ground. I could hear the gasps of my friends the moment Itachi was knocked down to the ground. Sasuke ran off, clutching his fists and closing his eyes. Itachi looked down in pain, something I had never seen in his eyes before. Itachi stood up and punched the wall beside him in anger. He then leaned up against the wall, pulled out a cigarette and tried to light it.

"We better get going to class." Hinata pointed out, "Or else we will get in trouble."

Sakura, Hinata and Ino stood up and they nodded to us, leaving us be. I stared at Itachi, feeling nothing but sorrow for him. Melody went to grab my arm to pull me away but I looked to her.

"Oh no Suine..." Melody began, "Don't get involved with him."

"I just want to go see if he's okay." I told Melody but she shook her head.

"He isn't a good guy. Please, let's just go back to class-"

"Melody, I made a promise to my mother-"

"Oh here we go..."

"That I will help those in need no matter who they are or what they have done. And Itachi Uchiha falls under that...right now...Just let me go see if he is okay, I promise that after I do that I will never talk to him again." I told her as she sighed, "Please-"

"Okay...I'll tell the teacher you're in the washroom. Hurry okay?"

I lightly nodded to her and she went out of the courtyard, heading towards our homeroom. I turned back to Itachi who took a big puff from that cigarette. I breathed in and began to take a couple steps towards Itachi. Just ask if he is okay and then leave, no biggie. No need to worry or freak out. I felt Itachi's eyes on me, I could feel him staring at me as I approached him. He probably wondered if I was just like those other girls that were going to maul him for his good looks.

The moment I was in front of him I could feel my heart beat ten times faster than normal. I was so nervous, I had never talked to Itachi before. Sure I had him in my classes but never said a word to him. You just don't do that if you aren't in the popular group. You don't mess with social standings, especially since I am seen as a geek. Just breathe Suine, everything's going to be fine. He won't kill you.

"You got something to say?" I heard his cold voice say to me as I looked up from the ground to stare into his eyes. My eyes widened the moment I noticed that he was more sad up close. I thought he looked cold and heartless but I was wrong. He was just so emotionally torn up inside that his eyes hardened with sadness, "Well?"

"Uh..." I tried to form words and then I looked at the cigarette, "Smoking is bad for you, you know."

"Yeah...So what about it?"

"You shouldn't do it..."

"Oh here comes a goody too shoes..."

"...I..." I found my voice was stuck for words again.

"Unless, you can find something to replace it." He smirked as he checked me out, "For a goody too shoes, you aren't that bad looking..."

"Don't even bother." I began as his eyes widened, "I can see straight through your sadness, you can't use something as dull as that as a barrier." I grabbed the cigarette out of his mouth, not really sure what I was doing, and threw it onto the ground where I stepped on it to put it out, "And smoking can't be your way of healing it. You'll die."

"That...My sadness is none of your concern..." Itachi looked away, "I can do whatever I want to, to try to stop it...I don't care what you try to say..."

"True my words do not matter to you but they are the truth, which looks like you don't get very often." I told him and he looked back to me, "Look, I saw what happened here with Sasuke-"

"Oh so now your stalking me? I don't even know your name-"

"Itachi!" I yelled at him, "Are you okay!?"

"W...What?"

"Are...you okay? You seemed pretty heart broken by what Sasuke had said...Though I don't know what he said I still wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Why?"

"Because...I know what it's like...to be sad without anyone to turn to..."

"Look, I'm fine okay? I have plenty of people to turn to!...I don't have problems, I am not as sad as you think I am!...I am quite fine without your help! So stop trying to figure me out...No one figures me out..."

"That's where you are wrong...I just did." I began and he looked surprised, "But I'll take your hint, I'll leave you alone." I began to walk away from him, never thinking that I'd hear from him again.

"Wait!" Itachi stopped me dead in my tracks and he went up beside me.

"What do you want?" I asked him as he turned to me, "Well?"

"...Sorry." He began, "I'm just a little on edge today...I didn't mean to snap at you...I'll be okay...thanks for your concern..."

"Can I capture this on camera, my best friend won't believe me when I said that Itachi was nice to me."

"Heh...I know what you mean." He smiled as he took something out of his pocket, a necklace with his family's emblem on it, "Here, use this as proof..." He gently put the necklace onto me, "Looks good on you, probably better than it would on me..."

"I can't possibly take this...I-"

"Don't worry, I'll come back to get it...But use it for now." He smiled, something that made my cheeks redden, "Thanks for everything, Suine."

"Wait how did you know my name?"

"I've always known..."

He lightly nodded to me and left the hallway to go into his homeroom. I looked down to the necklace and wondered why he had hid that smile away from the world for so long. It was a well-known fact that Itachi never smiled, at least not at school. And how did he know my name? I was happy though, it seemed like I had learned that Itachi wasn't as bad as everyone had thought. But I'll keep that information between Melody and me.

I hid the necklace by tucking it underneath my shirt and went to my homeroom. Little had I known that my concern for Itachi started something between the both of us. Something I never thought would have happened.


	2. Chapter 2

_Meet again?_

I entered my homeroom, receiving a death glare from my teacher, Anko. I smiled shyly, hoping to be able to get away with not being in class for the first ten minutes. She came up to me, looking down at me.

"Where have you been?" Anko asked me, "Melody said the bathroom but it's been an awfully long time..."

"I was in the bathroom...I..." I went up to Anko's ear, "Got my...um..."

"Oh..." Anko said surprisingly, "O-Oh...Okay…Sorry, I should have known. You are always a good kid, should have realized it was a good reason...Go to your seat."

I lightly nodded and went over to my desk, right beside Melody. Melody giggled, realizing what excuse I had used to get the teacher to stop harassing me. It was always a good weapon that a girl had tucked away in her arsenal. Anko began to write some words on the chalk board, while Melody wrote a note and passed it to me.

_So, spill the beans. What happened with Itachi? Was he mean to you? Did he hurt you? If he did I would so kick his ass, you know I would!_

I put a pen to the paper that Melody gave me, thinking of how to respond to this.

_Good luck getting past Kisame if you went to kick Itachi's ass. That would be a funny fight to see. However, there is no need to worry; Itachi was very nice to me. He didn't tell me why he was sad but he told me that he was going to be okay. That was enough for me. _

Anko turned around to look at her notes and the students to make sure that everyone was paying attention. She turned back to the chalkboard and I slipped the paper onto Melody's desk. I saw her eyes widen at the response I gave her. She wrote on the paper again and gave it to me.

_Bullshit. _

I lightly smiled and wrote again on the paper that was beginning to run out of room.

_I can prove it. _

I gave it back to her. She looked to me, lightly moving her hand, saying to go ahead. I looked around the room, making sure that no one was looking at us. We were at the back of the room so there was no reason to worry about students behind us. However, if people saw me with this necklace, they would get the wrong idea. Not to mention kill me to get it.

Cautiously I pulled the necklace out from my shirt, putting my hand around the pendant to show Melody, and try to hide it from everyone else. Melody's eyes widened and her mouth dropped.

"...He..." Melody whispered, "Gave...that...to you?"

I nodded and I quickly put the necklace back underneath my shirt. Melody ripped out another piece of paper from her notebook and began to write on it. I knew she would be shocked that I had this necklace. I mean who wouldn't be? This was Itachi Uchiha's, one of the hottest boys in school, the popular kid, the student council member...This was his necklace. This was something that a geek like me should never see let alone wear. Melody slipped the paper onto my desk and I opened it up.

_I don't even know where to begin, but girl you have some explaining to do. Like why he would give you something like that. You better tell me the whole story at lunch you hear?_

I lightly nodded my head, showing Melody that I was agreeing to her. We then looked to the chalk board and began to write down the note that Anko put on the board. Waiting for lunch to approach.

**. . .**

Lunch time approached and I went to my locker, happily getting out of Gai's gym class. God, I hated gym. Sure I was flexible and I was good at gym but I just never enjoyed evaluating how good you were at physical things. Plus, Gai is way too obsessed with gym.

I began to unlock my locker when I heard girl's squeal. I looked behind me to see the entire Student Council walking together towards the cafeteria which was right down the hall from my locker. I could see them all enjoying the attention and it made me roll my eyes. However, I saw Itachi and my eyes locked onto him. Kisame had his arm around him, laughing at some joke. They began to pass me by and I wondered if Itachi was going to look at me too. Or if he regretted his decision to talk to me.

However, to prove my thoughts wrong, Itachi's eyes looked around the room and fell onto me. His eyes widened but softened and that made my eyes widen. As he got closer to the doors he turned back to Kisame and took his arm off of his shoulder. He said something to Kisame and began to walk back. I looked back to my locker, hoping he wasn't coming to me so directly. However, as the girls shrieked, I saw to the right of me, Itachi going into a classroom that was open. He looked at me and motioned for me to follow him. He shut the door behind himself and the girls went up to that door, wanting to get in, but it seemed like he locked it.

I grabbed my lunch from my locker and shut it. I looked at that door and slowly began to walk away from it, headed away from the cafeteria. I knew this room, it had two doors on either side of the set of lockers that mine was a part of. I slowly went closer to the other door. I stood in front of the door and lightly turned the door handle form behind. It opened and I went into the door way, quietly shutting the door and hoping no one saw me enter.

The room was dark but some sunlight came in from the windows. I turned around and saw Itachi sitting on a desk and lightly smiling to me.

"Lock the door." Itachi whispered and I quickly locked the door.

"Girls! There is another door!" A voice shrieked from outside and I could hear the sounds of girls hands banging on the door.

I sighed and went up to Itachi, who rolled his eyes. I wondered why he wanted to meet with me like this. But at the same time it was exciting. A popular kid wanted to meet with me. I had never felt so special in my life. I lightly brushed my bang behind my ear and looked into Itachi's eyes.

"Doesn't this get annoying?" I began the conversation, "All the girls?"

"Oh yea...Sometimes I stay in rooms like these, just to get away from it all..." Itachi replied, making me question my sanity. This had to have been a dream, "Anyways, I came to get the necklace back. Did your friend freak?" He smiled at the thought.

"Oh yea, Melody freaked out. She wants explanations." I chuckled and his smile never dissipated. It was so nice to see him smile, I don't understand why he hides it so much, "You should have saw her face when I showed her the necklace. If we weren't in class I would have laughed my head off."

"I'm glad." Itachi told me, "Never really had a purpose to that necklace until now."

"But it's a symbol of your family. Don't you want to be proud to wear something like that?"

"Yeah...sure..." Itachi looked away, "As if I could really be proud about being an Uchiha..."

"What?"

"Nothing." Itachi got off of the desk and lightly put his hands around my neck, reaching for the metal chain, "Thanks for taking care of it..." He began as he took the necklace off and put it back around his neck.

"Of course. Now to get out of here. Seeing as how the doors are...um...occupied...We have to find another way out."

"Easy enough."

Itachi went over to a window and propped it open. He looked over to me and I could feel some sort of sadness begin within me. After we went through that window, I would never be able to talk to Itachi like this again, he would be gone. I must have been silly to think that we could be friends. You just don't mess with social standings.

"Um...Suine?" Itachi asked as I snapped out of my thoughts, "You okay?"

"Um yeah...I'm fine." I faked a smile but he just raised an eyebrow.

"Uh-huh...sure you are."

"I am, I swear!" I began and I looked down, "I was just wondering-"

"If we'd ever meet like this again?"

"...Y...Yeah..." I felt my breath leave my lungs and I could feel sick to my stomach. I already knew the answer, "Never mind..."

"Don't worry Suine..." Itachi told me as he came closer to me, "...Sure it might be a little difficult because I can't be seen with you."

"I know...I mean I'm a geek and you are a...well you are you. And people like you don't smile or laugh or joke around or have secret meetings or hang out or become friends..."

"With people like you..." Itachi sighed and rubbed his eyes, "Yeah this is a bit more difficult than I thought but...even if I can't be seen with you or do any of that stuff...I still think we could be friends."

"R...Really?"

"Yeah...in secret. So don't go thinking that I just used you or something stupid like that. I'm not that kind of guy, though you might think differently. Basically what I am trying to say is...we can still be friends and we will meet again like this."

"You really are...different than what I thought you to be."

"What did you think of me?"

"That is for another meeting, Itachi...Right now we have to get to the cafeteria. Melody will flip out if I don't show up."

"Hm...so will Kisame..."

Itachi and I went over to the window and I looked out of it. Thank god that we are on the first floor; otherwise we would have been screwed. I lightly put my foot out of the window frame, feeling around until I felt the grass. I then jumped out of the window and Itachi followed me, shutting the window behind us. We were now outside of the school and began to follow the front of the building to the side, where we could get into the cafeteria from those doors. When we got there, Itachi turned to me.

"Okay, I'll go in first," Itachi began as I listened to every word he said, "Then wait a bit, wait until I get in line for the cafeteria food, then come in. No one will suspect a thing if we go by that. I'll see you around, Suine."

"See ya..." I lightly replied and he went into the back door.

I quickly went up to the back door and looked through the very small window. I watched as Itachi began to look around for his friends and slowly head towards the cafeteria line, trying to not cause any attention to the back door. However, our plan was going to be ruined.

"Hello, Suine..." A familiar voice said from behind me.

I turned around and felt my heart sink. There was one of most famous bullies in this school, the girl bullies actually. I'd rather have the student Council then these girls. There were a couple fourth year girls, a couple third year girls and last but not least three first year girls. I didn't know them all but I knew the girls in third year.

Mika, the short blonde haired girl with dark blue eyes. Touhou, a long green haired girl with brown eyes. And Alice, the white haired girl with dark purple eyes. Each one of them hated me, with a passion. They hated the fact that I was smart, that I was a geek. Geeks were always easy targets for bullies like them. Let's just say I went home with a couple of bruises and lowered self-esteem thanks to these girls.

However, I soon realized that the voice was neither of their voices. In fact, it was a voice that sounded exactly like Karin's. And sure enough, Karin was a part of their group. In first year and already a bully, great.

"What do you guys want?" I asked, "I haven't done anything..."

"Oh we know, but since Karin joined the group, we decided to give her one person she would like to...start her year on..." Mika laughed, "And she said you."

"M...Me?"

"You, who always protected Sakura from me...It's my turn to strike back." Karin began to say as I could see the girls slowly coming closer to me.

I didn't want to get hurt again, not again. I quickly turned the door handle of the door to the cafeteria and ran inside the cafeteria. I knew they would chase me, and no one would stop them. As long as you were not popular, they would get away with chasing you and hurting you. I looked behind me as I continued to run, seeing the girls come flying through the door, to catch me. I could feel the eyes of everyone in the cafeteria on me. But it wasn't until after that I knew it wasn't because I was running, it was what I was going to run into.

I bumped into something, and I fell to the ground. I thought I would hit the floor but instead I fell onto something warm and soft. I looked to the ground to see that I fell on none other but Itachi. My eyes widened and I quickly shuffled myself off of him, still sitting on the ground. He lightly flipped his body around and his eyes widened when he saw that it was me.

"...S.." Itachi began but I felt something grip my hair and tug on it, pulling me back.

I yelped in pain and I could feel the tears build up. I knew that I was not going to make it out of this pain. Melody wouldn't make it in time and Itachi can't do anything. I was going to get beat up, again.

"Look at this." I could hear Karin's voice say above me as the tears fell off of my cheeks, "You ran away instead of accepting your fate and you hurt one of the most popular kids in school...You cannot get away unpunished. I'm going to make an example of you." Karin began, "Any of you decide to mess with us, stand up for others, or hurt any one of the popular crowd, this is what you will get!"

"Suine!" I heard Melody's voice boom out.

I looked to Itachi, helplessly, and I could see something I thought I would never see in his eyes, pure anger. But was he angry at me or at the girls behind me? I closed my eyes when I saw the others in the cafeteria turn away from the scene. I waited for the punch, for the pain to kick in. However, I heard gasps from the people in the cafeteria and I reopened my eyes.

I saw a pair of legs standing in front of me, wearing the boy's uniform. I didn't see Itachi on the ground anymore and somehow I knew that he was the one standing in front of me. What on earth is he thinking? I heard Karin's voice yelp in pain.

"If you just let go you won't be in pain." Itachi told her and I wondered what he was doing.

I felt the pain disappear along with the pressure of Karin's hand on my hair. I looked up to see Itachi's pissed off eyes staring at Karin who held her wrist in pain.

"I heard that you were a bully, why are you protecting this girl!?" Karin began, "I don't understand, I was hurting her for hurting you."

"She didn't hurt me." Itachi angrily said as he lightly held a hand out to me, "She can't hurt anything." I lightly took his hand and he pulled me up from the ground, twisting me around so I was facing Karin who looked pissed, "Starting right now, this girl is under my protection. If any of you sons of bitches decide you want to hurt this girl, you will have problems with me, do you understand!?" Itachi's voice echoed through the cafeteria and the girls began to look afraid at Itachi's anger, "Do you understand!"

"Yes..." Karin said out of fear and I felt something cold find its way around my neck. I looked down and saw Itachi's necklace.

"Just so you remember..." Itachi told off Karin and her gang, "Now get out of here before I get an idea to kick your ass. And I don't give two shits that you're girls..."

Karin and her friends gave me a dirty look but then stopped the moment I felt Itachi's hands fall onto my shoulders. They quickly left the cafeteria which now felt like silence was the only thing the kids knew. I could feel Itachi's hands begin to tremble; now he was scared? He gave a look to the people in the cafeteria and they all began to go back to their own business, whispering about what had just happened.

I felt Itachi's hands leave my shoulders. I lightly turned around and saw that Itachi went out of the cafeteria's front doors. I looked through the cafeteria and saw Melody's surprised eyes staring at me. She nodded to me and I went after Itachi, leaving the cafeteria to wonder why a popular kid had stuck up for a geek, why Itachi stuck up for me.


	3. Chapter 3

_Things will change._

"Itachi...Wait..." I called out as I saw Itachi lean up against a wall.

When I caught up to him I saw that he pulled out a cigarette. I watched him as he had no idea that I was a couple feet away from him. He was about to grab his lighter but instead his eyes fell onto the cigarette box. He lightly took the cigarette out of his mouth and threw both that cigarette and the box into the trash can right beside him. My eyes widened the moment his head rested against the wall and he closed his eyes.

"I...Itachi..." My voice started and I went closer to him, to see his hands trembling, "Itachi..."

"Suine..." His eyes opened and found me.

"W...Why did you do that?"

"Why?"

"Yes...Why did you protect me? I thought we were going to be friends in secret, meaning that-"

"I can't protect you? What would you like me to do sit back and watch her hit..." Itachi's teeth began to grind to together, "I had never felt so much anger before. Just the thought of her...I couldn't. I would never forgive myself...By the time I knew what I was doing, it was already too late. I couldn't stop myself..."

"Thank you...You saved me."

"But now...people are just going to want to hurt you more...I just made things worse..."

"No." I began, smiling to him, "You saved me. You stood up for me. No one has ever done that for me before. Melody has tried but we were always outnumbered. But you just helped me, saved me from being hurt. I can never thank you enough for that, Itachi..."

"But now..."

"Don't worry about it." I told him as his eyes widened, "Whatever happens because of this, was bound to happen anyways. I wanted to stay friends and I knew that my decision to want to be your friend would change things...And I-"

"I wanted to be friends too..." He replied, "You can't try to take all the blame for this...I knew that my decision would make things harder on you...But I wanted what you had said to me...I wanted the truth...And you were the first person to give that to me. Not my family, not my brother, not the Student Council or even Kisame...none of them gave me the truth. But you did. You didn't even know me but you gave it to me anyways."

We both looked at each other and smiled. I lightly grabbed his hand and I could feel him lightly relax. I put my arms around him, giving him a hug, something I never thought I would do. I could never thank him enough; he saved me from being hurt. Even if would cost him his popularity.

"Thank you, Itachi-kun..."I told him and I could feel his hands go onto my back, hugging me back.

"Anytime...Suine..." He lightly remarked as he put his forehead onto my shoulder.

Things were going to change for the both of us and I knew that we would have no idea how to face them. But as long as he was around, somehow I knew that it would be okay. We would be okay.

**. . .**

As I walked down the hallway, I could feel the eyes of everyone on me. When I was in the classroom, I got glares from everyone and now every time I walk, it's more glares. All because Itachi protected me. But instead of looking down to the ground I knew I had to stand strong, for Itachi's sake. I held my head up high and acted like their glares weren't hurting me a single bit. I had to show Itachi that I could handle this, these glares would never bring me down.

Melody walked beside me, as we headed to the front doors. I told Melody everything that had happened between Itachi and me. She was shocked more a less to hear that Itachi was nice but even more shocked for me to be under his protection.

"I heard that the Student Council has been eating Itachi alive for what he has done..." A voice in the crowd said, "That bitch is ruining his life."

"I heard that they are going to kick him out of the Council..." Another voice replied to the previous voice.

"They are bullies; they aren't supposed to protect geeks..." Another voice began.

"That girl is lucky!" A voice said.

"Itachi's going to lose everything thanks to that girl, everything he worked so hard to keep." A voice sadly stated.

"Look, Suine..." Melody began as I looked away from her, "It's not your fault, it was his choice to stand up for you."

"I know but because of me..." I began.

"Oh look, there he is!" A voice in the crowd stated as we made it to the front doors.

I saw Itachi looking down as Pain began to yell at him. Kisame went in front of Itachi and Itachi's eyes widened.

"What!?" Pain yelled at Kisame, "You going to protect Itachi? This is his fault. We will lose power thanks to his stupid, reckless decision."

"I will stand by his decision." Kisame began and Itachi looked at Kisame, "If Itachi believes what he did was right, then so be it."

"You can't be serious Kisame. Your loyalty belongs to us." Konan spoke out as he shook his head.

"No, my loyalty is to this kid." Kisame told them, "Whatever you do to him, you do to me."

"Ki...Kisame-san..." Itachi lightly spoke out but Kisame didn't budge.

"Fine...Then both of you are kicked out of the Student Council. It will be easy to replace you. We already have members in mind, like your younger brother..." Pain spoke out and Itachi got angry.

"You stay away from Sasuke!" Itachi yelled out and Pain just rolled his eyes.

"Not my fault if he comes to me on his own accord."

Itachi gritted his teeth and the Student Council members walked out of the front doors. Kisame turned to Itachi and lightly smiled. Itachi looked down and the crowd began to go past them, out of the front doors. I lightly walked up to Itachi and Kisame's eyes widened. Itachi turned to me and I looked down in sorrow.

"I'm sorry, this is all my-" I began but Itachi gave me a look, making me realize he did not want me to say that, "I'm sorry that happened to you."

(K) "No need to worry..." Itachi told me, "I can live without the Student Council..."

"But Sasuke..."

"He's a big boy, he can make his own decisions, and even if I hate them...I'll still love my brother..."

"Hey, you're the girl that Itachi saved!" Kisame came up to me and I felt a bit scared, "Hello, my name is Kisame Hoshikage!" Kisame happily held his hand out to me.

"You aren't going to hurt me?" I asked him

"What!? No way! You were the first person to make Itachi do something that he actually wanted to do for himself! I love you!"

"Not literately..." Itachi told me, making me calm down, "He is just happy that someone changed me."

"Aw, you have such a great best friend Itachi!" I took Kisame's hand and Kisame pulled me into a hug.

"We are going to be the best of friends, I just know it!" Kisame happily said.

Kisame let me go and I smiled at him, I had never seen this coming. Kisame was nice as well and he was hugging me. Itachi was chuckling beside us, somehow happy even though the situation was terrible. They were happy that I was here, that I made Itachi protect me. I felt a tear escape my eye as they both said they had to go. They both lightly waved and walked out of the front doors, leaving me to my thoughts.

"Suine! There you are!" Melody's voice said and I looked around to see Melody coming to me, "You left me in the crowd and I couldn't get to you. What happened?"

"Kisame and Itachi were both nice to me, Kisame was really happy that Itachi saved me." I told her.

"Really? What is with these guys? Why are they nice all of a sudden?"

"I think they always were but hid it...Now why, is an entirely different question."

"Well...No use in waiting here, you ready to go home?"

"Oh yes please!"


	4. Chapter 4

_New Friends_

I woke up in my bed, my king sized bed. It had red comforters with black pillows. There was a brown bed frame that the mattress sat in comfortably. Right next to the bed was a white night table that had an alarm clock that was going off. There was a white dresser, white shelves and a small white closet to the right, along with the door to enter the hallway headed to the kitchen/living room. To my left was a door to a balcony, with an amazing view of the city and the beach on its right, with an amazing crystal clear ocean. We were on the fifth floor of this fifteen floored apartment building.

I hit my alarm clock and quickly got out of bed. I got dressed and headed out of my bedroom. Across the hall was another bedroom, one that was occupied by none other than Melody. To my right was a dead end that led to a bathroom. To my left was another door that led to an office and the ending of the hallway.

I knocked on Melody's door and opened it up, seeing her still sawing logs in her blue comforter queen sized bed. Her room was the same as mine, except blue comforters and no balcony. She let me have that.

"Melody, it's time to get up!" I yelled at her and I saw her eyes slowly open.

"Ugh...ten more minutes." She moaned in her bed, "Please mommy..."

"Ugh...Fine you get five minutes."

I lightly shut the door and went over to the bathroom. It was a simplistic bathroom. A white sink that was in the counter. Underneath the counter had all the necessities that a woman needed. Hair dryer, make up, straightener, etc. There was a normal sized square mirror that could open up to have medicine in it. It was mostly filled with Advil. To the right was the glassed shower that was pushed up against the wall. To the left was the white toilet that I made sure was clean. It's not like I'm a clean freak but my bathroom needs to be spotless.

Once I finished up in the bathroom I went over to Melody's door, opened it up, and turned on the lights, making her moan again. We had to go through this same routine every morning.

"Your time is up, get up." I yelled and left the door open.

I went down the hallway and smiled at the apartment Melody and I have had since our first year. The entire area had wooden floors. To the right was the kitchen, which was right beside the entrance. There were blue cupboards, attached to the wall. There was a sink down on the bottom cupboards that were right beside the metal stove. On the other side of the counter was the fridge. There was a table that acted like an island that had our telephone on it.

To the left was our living room with large windows that let in the sunlight. There was a lower dark brown table with little green cushions all around the table. Behind the table was a light brown couch. There was a television hooked up to the wall across from the table. Down the walkway was the entrance to this apartment, there was a step down to reach the door that was where we put all of our shoes.

I was about to start making some cereal when the phone began to ring. Oh must be my work. I went over to the phone and answered it.

"Hello? This is Suine speaking." I began, thinking that I would hear my manager's voice.

"_Hey, Suine._" A unfamiliar voice began, "_I...It's me...Itachi."_

"Itachi!?"

"_Sorry to freak you out."_

"How did you get my number?"

"_Would you believe me if I said phone book?"_

"No."

"_I didn't think so...Well I was going to use a phone book but none of my father's secret service would allow me to do it on my own. So they had to go all out, get everything they could on where you lived and what your number was...I only wanted your number..."_

"Well...I guess that's what you get for being rich..."

"_Sorry."_

"It's fine. Why did you want to call me?"

"_Oh! Right. Um do you want a ride?...To school?"_

"Y...You'd pick me up?"

"_Yeah...Is there a problem with that? I mean you don't have to come it was just an offer-"_

"As long as Melody can come."

"_Sure. We can make room."_

"Good. Then I'll come. Thank you."

"_You're welcome."_

"_Hi Suine!"_ Another voice said from the background.

"_Kisame says hi."_ Itachi told me and I giggled.

"Hi Kisame." I lightly said.

"_Okay, so I'll be there in like twentyish minutes. Sound good?"_

"Yeah. Thanks."

"_Anytime Suine. See you soon."_

I hung up the phone and lightly smiled. I can't believe that he is going to come and pick us up. All the girls at school are going to be jealous.

"So much for 'I promise not to talk to him again'." Melody giggled as she came out from the corner.

"Oh come on Melody." I started as she raised her eyebrow, "He offered to pick us up."

"Us? You mean...I get to come?"

"Of course, I wouldn't have gone if he said no to you."

"You do know what the Uchiha's get driven in right?"

"No..."

"Limousines. Girl we get to be in a limo!"

I chuckled as Melody began to jump up and down in happiness. She always enjoyed the little things in life. I looked at her outfit and almost laughed. She wore the uniform shirt but she had her pink bunny pajama pants still on.

"Are you are going to go in a limo like that?" I pointed out and she squealed, running straight back into her room.

I just laughed and made breakfast. The moment I finished it, I went into my room to grab my backpack and noticed something on the night table. I walked up to the night table and lightly picked up the small chained necklace, with the Uchiha symbol on it.

"_Just so you remember..." I remember Itachi's voice._

I lightly put the necklace on my neck, knowing that I should wear this. It would protect me from harm, thanks to Itachi. Even if he wasn't in the Student Council anymore, he still had power, from his family. And the good looks to top it all off. There was no way he could lose popularity that fast. People would still fear him. But I don't really feel like that is a good thing.

I went out of my bedroom and went to the living room to see Melody, scarfing down her cereal like it was going to be taken away from her. Soon, the intercom that allowed people to talk to us from the front door and allow them entrance into this big building, turned on. The manager of the apartment began to talk.

"Suine, Melody." The voice began as I went over to the intercom, "Some boy is here saying he is here to pick you up."

"Thanks, Mira." I pushed the button, "We will be down soon."

Melody quickly finished her breakfast and ran to the door, slipping on her shoes and I followed suit. She happily went out of the apartment and locked the door behind us.

"I get to go in a limo!" Melody hollered, "I love your new boyfriend, Suine!"

"He's not my boyfriend." I told her as she laughed.

"I know but he seems to have taken a liking to you. Thanks to you this girl gets to find her poor ass in a rich ass limo!" Melody hit the button to the elevator and we went into the elevator.

"You are funny Melody..."

Once the elevator reached level one, the doors opened, allowing us to reach the lobby. In the lobby was Itachi who was being asked questions by Mira. Itachi had his school jacket open, showing the white dress shirt that he wore underneath it. Hanging from the collar was a pair of black sunglasses. Itachi had his arms on the lobby's table.

"See isn't it weird?" Mira asked as Itachi nodded his head.

"If I were you I'd fire his ass...He is obviously stealing from you." Itachi told her as her eyes widened.

"But won't it be awkward? Won't he try to black mail me?"

"Not if you have proof. I'm sure if you plant some secret cameras you will get some proof. Besides if he even tries to bring up that one night, just mention getting the cops involved and everything will be fine. Plus you guys were together when he wasn't a part of your business, therefore, legally he can't hurt you or take anything from you."

"I knew the son of Fugaku Uchiha would be able to help me."

"Anytime." Itachi lightly bowed and then noticed me, "Oh hey Suine!"

Itachi came up to both Melody and me. He lightly smiled to me and Melody lightly nudged me.

"Thank you for offering to pick us up, Itachi." I told him and he nodded, then turned to Melody.

"I don't believe that we have been properly introduced. I'm Itachi Uchiha." He held a hand out to Melody who happily took it.

"Melody Nami. Thanks for offering the ride to me too." Melody let go of Itachi's hand, "And for protecting Suine."

"No problem. And besides, any friend of Suine is a friend of mine."

"Well let's get going, before we are late for school." I told them as they both nodded.

"Hope you don't mind sharing the limo, my little brother has to come too." He told us as we both shrugged.

"Doesn't bother me any."

Itachi nodded and put his sunglasses on. We followed him to the door, which he held open for us.

"Come again, Mister Uchiha!" Mira said as Itachi smiled.

"Just Itachi is fine." He told her and she squealed in happiness.

The moment we got out of apartment building, Melody and I shrieked at the sight of the limo. It was bigger than I had originally thought. There was a man in a black suit standing by the door that lead to the entrance of the passenger seats. Itachi lightly shook his head and went up to the man.

"Shisui I told you a thousand times, it's just a door. I'll be fine." Itachi told Shisui who only shook his head at Itachi.

"I have to make sure you are safe. As the heir to the Uchiha-" Shisui began.

"Look enough of this heir shit, Shisui. I'm telling you I can handle the door, so please, go back to the driver's seat."

"You are so different from Sasuke...You won't accept my help."

"No, I just know I can do things for myself. I don't want to make you do things you don't have to do...Jeez, you're making me sound like the bad guy. And in front of my friends."

Shisui nodded and went back to the driver seat. Itachi went to the door and held it open for us. Melody ran in the limo first, too excited to see what was in the limo. I lightly smiled to Itachi and went in after her, soon followed by Itachi who shut the door behind himself.

The limo was huge, black leather seats in any area they could fit them. On both sides of the limo was two small televisions that were above ice buckets that had different types of soda's in them. Melody was up against Kisame who shook her hand, guess they are introduced. Itachi sat beside me. But my eyes looked to the other four people in the limo.

Sasuke was sitting in a seat with his arm around Karin who was cuddled up to him. Beside Karin was a first year kid named Suigetsu and another boy named Jugo. So these were the new friends that Sasuke had. I felt a bit scared when I saw Karin and her mouth opened the moment she saw me. The limo then began to move the moment I felt an arm go around me and Itachi went closer to my ear.

"Don't worry, she can't do anything as long as I am here. As long as you wear that necklace." Itachi whispered in my ear and he let me go, allowing my body to relax.

"Poor Sakura..." Melody whispered into my ear.

"I know...I can't believe the rumours were true. And he used to be such a nice boy..." I whispered back.

"What are we whispering about?" Itachi whispered and Melody chuckled a little.

"A girl named Sakura, didn't you hear?" Kisame whispered back.

"Sakura? Sakura Haruno?" Itachi whispered as I nodded, "Oh I liked her, she was such a nice girl. I wished that Sasuke would have stuck around her."

"Yeah she really loved him..." I whispered, "She was so depressed when he stopped talking to her."

"Wait he just stopped? Not even a goodbye?" Kisame whispered.

"Not as far as I know." I whispered to him.

"What a dick." Both Kisame and Melody whispered.

"He's just taking things hard...When it comes to family..." Itachi whispered and Melody and I turned to him, "Kind of hates me for it..."

"Why would he hate his brother?" I whispered.

"It's a long story..." Kisame whispered to answer my question, "We will tell you later I am sure."

"Yeah..." Itachi whispered as I nodded.

"What are you whispering about?" Sasuke asked and it made all of us freeze up, "Huh? Got something to say brother? Or have you finally had enough of speaking your mind?"

"Oh don't go there I'm not in the mood." Itachi told off Sasuke.

"Why because your pretty little girlfriend is here?" Karin started, "You sit there on your high ass throne thinking that you can just ruin poor Sasuke's life! You are ruining everything your family believes in."

"Excuse me, are you a part of my family?" Itachi asked Karin who tensed up, "As far as I checked you aren't, so don't try to act like you know everything. You don't know shit. And as for you, dear little brother. You can hate me, detest me, want to kill me all you want!" Itachi told Sasuke whose eyes widened, "You heard one little bit of the conversation and you think you know what is going on, but you have no clue. So you can say how hurt you are by this situation but you don't even know a single shred of this damn situation. You have no idea what I am going through and you don't care. As long as you get to be popular, that's all you care about. You don't care about hurting your friends or your brother. So tell your little girlfriend to shut her mouth, leave me and my friends alone, or else."

"Are you threatening me?" Karin got angry but Sasuke's eyes still stayed shocked at what Itachi had said.

"Damn straight."

"Sasuke, say something to him!" Karin tried to push Sasuke, "Sasuke!"

Sasuke fell silent and looked away from Itachi. I turned to Itachi who looked down in sadness. So his sadness was rooted with Sasuke all along. He was always upset about how Sasuke felt. I lightly touched Itachi's arm and he looked to me. I wonder what family situation would hurt these two brother's so much.


	5. Chapter 5

_Young Love_

"We are here." Shisui's voice boomed from the driver seat of the limo.

The limo pulled to the side of the sidewalk, right in front of the gated entrance. Sasuke was the first to walk out of the door that opened by itself, but I knew that it was Shisui. Karin quickly followed him, scared to even look Itachi in the eyes. Jugo and Suigetsu followed them. Itachi put his sunglasses on and grabbed his backpack, throwing it over his shoulder and holding it by the handle at the top of the backpack.

I watched Itachi walk out of the limo, hearing the girly screams start up again, just like with Sasuke. I saw a hand come into the limo and I knew it was for me. I put my one strapped backpack over my chest and grabbed the hand. Itachi helped me get out of the limo and did the same for Melody. I could hear the gasps of everyone begin the moment we both stepped out of the limo with Itachi. Kisame followed after Melody and only chuckled at the surprised looks of everyone around us.

"Who is that girl to him?" A voice said from the crowd.

"I don't understand, why do we keep seeing them together?" Another voice asked, "Why has Itachi taken a fancy to her? What does she have that I don't?"

"Just ignore them Suine." Itachi whispered to me, "I always do."

Itachi let Shisui shut the door to the limo. Itachi grabbed some money out of his pocket and sneakily put it into Shisui's pocket. He was paying his servant for thanks? Who was Itachi really? And why did I think he was so evil?

"You are always so generous Itachi." Shisui told Itachi who just shrugged, "You know I can't accept it. Your father would have my head."

"Accept what, Shisui?" Itachi smiled, lightly nodding to Shisui, "I'll see you after school."

Shisui rolled his eyes and went to the driver seat of the limo. He began to start up the car, the moment we started to walk into the gate, headed towards the entrance of the school. I went past Melody and began to walk beside Itachi, wanting to know more about who he really was. I could hear Melody mumble but I saw her begin to talk to Kisame.

"So..." I lightly brushed my bang behind my ear, "You...um..."

"I um what?" Itachi made fun of my stuttering, "I still don't understand why you are so embarrassed around me."

"I-I-It's...It's just..."

"It's just what? My good looks making you stutter?"

"Idiot!" I yelled as I hit him over the head with my hand. My eyes widened the moment I had realized what I had done, "Oh...my...God...I am so, so sorry Itachi-kun I didn't mean to-"

"...Ow..." Itachi began to rub the back of his head in pain, "What was that for?"

"I...I..."

"Well?"

"It's a bad habit of hers." Melody interrupted us, making Itachi stop walking and turn to her, "I thought we had allowed her to get over it but I guess it is harder than it looks."

"Bad habit?" Itachi asked as I looked down, feeling my cheeks redden with embarrassment. I could feel the eyes of everyone who saw what had happened on me, I was being such an idiot.

"Yeah, Suine gets embarrassed a lot. She used to get embarrassed when I hugged her in the hallways. When someone makes her feel like that, she hits them over the head...It's a way for her to get the attention off of her."

"I made you embarrassed?"

"Yes...you were teasing me...I was trying to ask you something and I..." I tried to finish but Itachi looked to me.

"But I make you embarrassed?" Itachi knew exactly what I was trying to say.

"It's because you are new, just give it a bit. Soon, she will be just fine, being around you and talking to you like this." Melody spoke up and I nodded.

"I am sorry though." I told him but he just smiled.

"It didn't hurt that much." He began to walk again and I still stuck to his side, "So continue with your question."

"Okay...Do...you..." I sighed, come on Suine, you can do this!, "Do you want my cell phone..." I looked into his eyes and felt the redness come to my cheeks again, "...number?"

"Oh...Yea sure. Here." Itachi pulled out his cell phone and handed it to me.

I looked at Itachi's expensive phone and felt so poor when I compared it to my old phone. He had a touch phone, the newest model that was out. While mine was just a normal flip phone, I had never felt so poor than at that moment. I clicked a button on Itachi's phone and wondered what to do from that point on.

"You have no idea what to do, do you?" Itachi asked as I shook my head in defeat, "Here." Itachi pressed some buttons and handed the phone back to me, "Enter in your number now."

I entered my number and gave the phone back to Itachi, afraid I might break it with my confusion. Itachi only smiled at my confusion and put the phone back into his pocket. We walked into the entrance, to hear more gasps from the crowd. It was weird for Itachi Uchiha to be seen with a geek like me.

"Well I'll see you later." Itachi turned to me, taking off his sunglasses and I smiled lightly, "Want a ride home?"

"Y...You don't have to-" I began but Itachi rolled his eyes.

"Do you want a ride home?"

"Yes...Please..."

"Cool, see you here after school. Kisame, coming?"

"Of course man!" Kisame lightly waved to both Melody and me and they walked away from us.

"Wow..." Melody walked up to me and I turned to her, "You really weren't shitting me about the nice thing huh?"

"Nope." I told her.

"Well I am not complaining I can go into that limo anytime!"

"Suine!" A voice said from behind me, making me turn around.

There I saw Sakura, Ino and Hinata coming in from the front door. Ino lightly waved to me and Hinata smiled my way but Sakura looked away from me. Melody and I stood there, allowing them to catch up to us.

"Hey guys! How is it going?" I asked them as they just shook their heads.

"We should be asking you that!" Ino lightly remarked, "Especially coming to school with none other than Itachi..."

"Oh..." I looked down, "So you heard about that huh?"

"Heard about it?" Sakura angrily started, "It's everywhere, and you two are the biggest news since the school first opened its doors! How could you Suine, you know that he is the reason I lost Sasuke."

"Well...I don't..." I paused and felt everyone's eyes on me.

"Now my best friend is betraying me...Dating Itachi Uchiha behind my back, helping the man that hurt me so much-"

"Ok enough!" I started and everyone turned to me, "Itachi is different from what I originally thought. He's a lot nicer than any other guy I have ever been with. And I'm not even with him. He is just a friend. And to top it all off, I don't blame him for Sasuke going overboard. I think there is something else going on and I am going to help him fix it, for you!" Sakura's eyes widened, "I want Sasuke to be normal just like you..." I sighed and she looked down, "And just for your information, Itachi wishes that Sasuke would have stayed with you too."

"H...H-He does?" Sakura's eyes widened.

"Yea, he does. So please, don't you insult Itachi in front of me again..."

"Wow...He must have been really nice to you Suine for you to be this protective of him..." Hinata told me as I nodded, "See Sakura, you know you can trust Suine...She has bended over and backwards for you. There is no need to worry. I know Suine will stay your best friend."

"Hinata is right." Melody told Sakura who turned to me.

"I'm sorry." Sakura started and I just simply hugged the little girl, "For doubting you."

"No worries." I told her and she smiled, "You should smile more, it suits you a lot better than being depressed."

Sakura only smiled more the moment I told her that, I knew that was what she needed to hear. I didn't want to tell her that I saw Sasuke with Karin in the limo, that would just make the rumour's more true. And break Sakura's heart more. I couldn't live with myself if I told her that information. Instead I walked with Sakura and everyone to their lockers, before our first class began.

. . .

Lunchtime hit and I have not had a single chance to talk to either Itachi or Kisame, I had absolutely no classes with them. I wished I would be able to talk with them some more. I wanted to get closer to the both of them, I enjoyed their company, their laughter. I was happy to be around people like that again. Even if Melody was like that, to have more people be our friends. It lightens the mood a bit more, it makes me feel a bit more alive.

I sat down at a large white table with Sakura, Hinata, Ino and Melody, who like me, had brought their own lunch. Melody smiled to me and pulled out her math textbook.

"Do you know how to do this?" Melody asked me as I nodded lightly, "Oh thank God! You are so teaching me this thing called mathematics when we get home."

"Home? You guys make it sound like you two live together." Ino told us as we nodded.

"You didn't know Ino?" Sakura asked her as she shook her head, "They do live together."

"But what about their parents?"

"It's a long story..." I looked down to the food I had made for myself last night, staring at the rice ball, "My mother died when I was very young, in a car accident. I don't remember much about her but I remember she made the house feel warm. She kept me and my older brother, Sokka, safe. After her death my father became an extreme alcoholic. My brother paid no heed to it and never hated living there...But my father frightened me...He used to hit me, not much, but he did...Verbal abuse and emotional abuse...So one day I ran away, ran away from that place, that country and came to Konoha. See my real name is Suine Iburame but I changed it when I came here, to Ika. Here I met Melody, who like me, was parentless..."

"You too?" Hinata sadly asked as Melody nodded.

"Yeah...but unlike Suine, both of my parents hated me. I was just a nuisance. As far as I remember they were both scientists and only considered human life as another experiment to find answers to questions. Needless to say they had no love for anyone besides their experiments. The only reason they were together was because they had the same interest in finding the answers in everything. One day they just left, they said for a business trip and that a babysitter would be over to watch me. But they never came home and the babysitter took care of me for a year or so. Then she put me into an orphanage...where I ran away from, because I hated that god damned place. So I came here and met Suine." Melody told her story and Ino began to look sad.

"But how did you get everything that you needed without parents? Like a health card, and a driver's license and money to go to school and-" Ino began to ask and I chuckled.

"Our apartment's manager, Mira. She met us on the street when we came from school, sitting in the rain. She took us both in, adopted the both of us. We told her our story and she made it official to adopt us. Legally, she is our mother. But we told her that we would live in an apartment and pay her back for everything that she has done for us. We are so in her debt." I told her as Melody nodded.

"Thank you for telling me. I would never have guessed, you guys are always so happy. I just would have thought that you two grew up normally." Ino told us, "Wow..."

"No worries though, we are happy!" Melody happily smiled, "I got to meet Suine and come to this school. I am happy where I am. I love Mira like a mother and she treats me like a daughter. I couldn't be more thankful to her and Suine..."

"Agreed." I replied, "Well enough about us, what about you guys? How's Naruto?"

Hinata froze at the name and her cheeks became bright red. She tried to open her mouth to say something but she stopped herself. I knew that she loved Naruto, the class clown from our old grade school. Though I was only there for a year I knew right away that she adored that boy, and he had no idea. He was too busy crushing on Sakura to notice a beautiful young woman loving him from afar. It was actually kind of romantic.

Everyone began to tease Hinata as I looked away to see Itachi walking down the cafeteria, trying to find some place to sit. I saw the Student Council's table far away from where Itachi was looking, so they really didn't want him back. Suddenly, to knock me out of my thoughts, I saw a kid pop his leg out from underneath the table, tripping Itachi, making the food on the cafeteria plate fall to the ground. Itachi looked around trying to figure out which kid tripped him but no one confessed, but everyone began to snicker at Itachi.

Itachi was about to clean up the plate but the janitor came over, giving a glare to the kid who tripped him. The janitor talked to Itachi, telling him he was going to clean up the spill. Itachi lightly smiled and walked away from the spot to sit at a table in the corner, far away from anyone. He sat alone. I looked to our table to see we had plenty of room for more than ten Itachi's to come sit over here. I looked down to my lunch and picked up the container that held three rice balls in it. I stood up and everyone began to give me weird looks.

"Where are you going?" Sakura asked as Melody looked over to Itachi.

"I know where she's going..." Melody began and I looked away from the table, "She's got Uchiha fever. Just can't stand away from him can you?"

"It's not that Melody." I began, "He is all alone and it is all my fault-"

"He'd kill you if he heard you say that."

"I know but he didn't okay!" I sighed, "I'll be back."

"Fine."

"Invite him over..." Sakura sighed, "I don't care if you want to have your boyfriend sit here, but just don't expect me to be happy about it."

"Thank you Sakura...and he's not my boyfriend." I told her and went over to where Itachi was.

Itachi looked down in sadness and he didn't notice me as I came up from behind him. I lightly put the container of rice balls in front of him and he lightly looked back. A bright smile came upon his face as he realized it was me. He turned back to the rice balls and sighed.

"I'm not taking your lunch Suine." Itachi tried to tell me as his stomach growled.

"Come on Itachi, I'm full anyways...Just take some I won't mind." I told him and he smiled again.

"Ok...Thank you Suine." Itachi took one and took a bite out of it. I sat down beside him to join him, "You make these?"

"Yea, of course."

"Damn they are good."

"Oh..." I felt my cheeks warm up, "Thank you, Itachi-kun."

"Thanks for coming over here, you are always so nice to me...How can I ever repay you?"

"No need to Itachi-kun. But I'm sure Melody would love the limo rides."

"Done. You always think of others...Never about yourself. That is a quality I wish I had."

"But you do Itachi...You just don't believe in yourself enough to see it. You care about Kisame, Melody, Sasuke...and me. You have done so much for them, so don't try to tell me you don't think about other people. I know you do."

Itachi lightly smiled and I could hear girl screams come from around the cafeteria. They really are annoying. Itachi chuckled at my despair and turned to look at me seriously.

"Are you going to the first dance of this school?" Itachi asked me as my eyes widened.

"No I never go..." I told him.

"Why is that?"

"No one ever dances with geeks, except for geeks and the guy geeks are ugly. I mean just take a look at Shino."

"Oh bug man...right...But what if someone other than a geek would dance with you...Than would you go?"

"Depends on the person, if I like them or if I'm there friend-"

"Suine I'm asking you to the dance with me."

"B-But why?"

"I need a friend there. Someone I can turn to after I have to dance with all those crazy girls."

"Why? You don't have to dance with them."

"I kind of do. The Student Council puts these dances on to allow the girls and boys to dance with its members, seeing as how they are the most popular kids in school. It gets votes and allows them to get more people to like them. Unfortunately, it is already too late to take my name off of the list, I already have more than twenty dances booked up."

"So they can't disappoint them huh?"

"No."

"Okay, I'll go, just because you need a friend, but I don't have anything nice to wear...I know its formal but I don't have money to waste on that stuff-"

"No worries, we will go shopping after school today, get both you and Melody dresses."

"You're inviting Melody?"

"Of course, can't have you without Melody. You guys are connected at the hip after all."

"Thank you."

"Of course."

"Now how about you come over to my table, you are welcome there anytime you know."

"As always thinking of others."

"Come on!"

I dragged Itachi over to my table, him still gripping onto my container for lunch. I pulled him to make him sit down beside me. I heard people gasping around and I rolled my eyes. Itachi can't do anything without it having to mean something. I bet the whole world thinks we are going out just because I made him sit at my table.

"Thanks...Suine." Itachi said to me which made me smile.

"Anytime Itachi." I told him, "Now, Melody and Sakura are people you already know. Here's Hinata and Ino. Everyone this is Itachi."

"Hello..." Ino started.

"H-H-Hello..." Hinata shyly replied.

"Hello everyone." Itachi smiled and then turned to Sakura, "Hey Sakura. How you holding up?"

"What? Why are you asking me?" Sakura looked away.

"Just thought I'd ask because you're my brother's best friend?" Itachi asked himself more than Sakura.

"Not anymore...Karin is his friend..."

"Karin is such a bitch; trust me when I say I miss the annoying Naruto more..."

Sakura's eyes widened and I nodded. She was now seeing what I was seeing. That underneath that cool exterior that Itachi puts out, he actually was nice and cared about people's feelings. She now knew that what I said about Itachi was true.


	6. Chapter 6

_Just a Dance_

Itachi told Shisui of our new destination the moment we got into the limo after school. Kisame had decided to come and Melody was freaking out, too happy with this getting a new dress thing. I however, could never stop thanking Itachi for taking us to the mall and buying our dresses. He must have really not wanted to be alone for the dance. I can understand why, the Student Council will be on his back the whole night. Kisame can stop them physically but I think I can reach Itachi emotionally.

The limo began to drive to the mall, the moment Sasuke and his friends entered the limo. Karin continued to give me a disgusted look, probably wondering why I was in the limo again. I rolled my eyes and turned to Melody who was giving a death glare to Karin.

"Did you bring that math textbook home with you?" I asked her as she nodded, "Good, you always have such a tough time with that subject."

"I know..." Melody sadly stated.

"We are here, Master Itachi." Shisui's voice started and Itachi nodded.

We all got out of the limo and Itachi went to the front of the limo and told Shisui something. Itachi smiled lightly, something that I noticed I was really loving to see. Itachi came up to us, still smiling that beautiful smile. We went into the mall together, starting to look around at some shops. Of course, all of the girls were commenting on Itachi's good looks everywhere we went. And if we saw someone from our school they would squeal their heads off but we just ignored them.

We made it to a dress shop and Melody went off running into the racks filled with dresses. She started looking through all of them as if they would disappear from the rack the moment she turned away from them. I only laughed at her but she suddenly put three dresses into my hand and pulled me to the dressing room.

"Put 'em on!" Melody happily said as I realized she was shopping for me.

"B-But Melody! You're supposed to be looking for a dress too-" I began to say but I heard her voice interrupt mine.

"Nonsense, I already found the dress I want."

"So fast?"

"I found it on the rack and knew it was for me."

"Don't you want to try it on too?"

"You feel embarrassed being the center of attention, don't you?"

I said nothing and Melody sighed. I heard her go into the dressing room beside me and I began to try some of these dresses on. I looked at the first two plain white dresses and looked away from them, utterly not my style. However, the last one, the red one caught my eye. It had no straps and a butterfly neckline. The dress was tight around the top of the body but around the waist area it comes out like a beautiful butterfly spreads its wings. The bottom of the dress was all ruffled, going in different directions until it reached the floor. In the plastic cover I noticed that there was a red bow with long strings and red gloves.

I quickly took the plastic cover off and got excited to put the dress on. I grabbed the bow and clipped it onto a little ponytail I made halfway through my short red hair, leaving hair to fall down after the ponytail. I put the dress on and realized that there was no way I was going to be able to do this by myself; the zipper was all the way down to my butt, how was I supposed to zip this up?

"M-Melody..." I lightly said and I heard a door open.

"Looks good!" Kisame's voice told someone, who I assume to be Melody.

"Thank you!" Melody's voice replied, "I knew i loved it from the moment I saw it."

"Melo...Melody!" I said again and heard a knock on my door.

"Suine? Did you call me?"

"Yea! I need your help!"

"Ok I am coming in."

I held the dress closely to my chest and turned around so nothing would show to the people outside of the door. Melody came in and my mouth dropped at her dress. Her dark blue dress had a corset top that was tight against her skinny body and then the rest of the dress flowed until it reached her knees. However, the back of her dress trailed a little bit more past the knees. She had gloves just like mine except dark blue, they started after her shoulder and ended in a triangle formation on the back of her hand. Around her neck was a dark blue chocker necklace that came with the dress, along with the blue ribbon she had tied in her hair like mine. At her feet were blue high heeled shoes that only made her dress look complete.

"Oh Suine..." Melody looked at my dress with such soft eyes, "You look gorgeous."

"I'd have to say that to you!" I told her and she smiled.

"Need help getting it on?"

I nodded and turned around to show Melody my problem. She grabbed the zipper, closing up the dress, making it fit comfortably. I put on the gloves and shoes that came with the dress, red high heels, similar to Melody's. I looked into the mirror and smiled at my brown eyes that stared at this beautiful dress. I could never thank Itachi enough for this.

"You know what really makes that dress beautiful?" Melody asked and I looked to her from the mirror, "That smile." She came up to my ear, "And he may not be your boyfriend but let me tell you. He makes that smile come back in you and I am grateful to him for that."

"Thank you Melody." I smiled brightly, "You know you make me smile too."

"Oh I know. Now let's go show them, eh!? I wonder if Itachi-"

"Melody..."

She only laughed as she opened the door. She went out first and turned to the left, I'm guessing that is where they are.

"Get ready to be mesmerized!" Melody told the boys and she held a hand out to me.

I smiled and went to her hand. I held onto it as she began to pull me out of the dressing room. I shyly looked to the boys who sat down on a bench. Kisame's eyes widened but then he smiled widely. Itachi, on the other hand, looked at me with his widened eyes. I could see something red come to his cheeks, something I have never seen before. Suddenly, Itachi began to cough and choke on something, but his face kept getting redder. I smiled, realizing that he thought it looked good.

"S-So...Sorry.." Itachi stopped coughing, "I...I chocked on a...lifesaver..."

"When did you have lifesaver's?" Kisame looked to him, "It was a Nicorette gum thingy and you know it."

"You...You really are trying to quit aren't you?" I asked him and he couldn't look at me.

"Well...Smoking's bad..." He said as his cheeks continued to turn bright red.

"Dude you okay, you looking like a tomato right now." Kisame laughed at him.

"Shut up!" Itachi angrily replied.

"You think Suine-san is pretty don't you?"

"The dress would look good on anyone."

"Yeah? Okay imagine Yuka in it."

Itachi's eyes widened at the name and Kisame smiled. Itachi looked back to me, his eyes locking with mine. The redness in his cheeks went away as fast as it came and he looked away from me.

"I thought I told you to never bring her name up again..." Itachi began and Kisame rolled his eyes.

"Dude you have to get over her." Kisame began, "She obviously cared nothing about you."

"I know that!" Itachi angrily yelled at Kisame, standing up, "Let's get going okay? Suine the dress looks fine; if it's what you want then we will get it."

The feeling in the room changed the moment this Yuka was mentioned. Itachi came up to me, giving me his debit card, and then walked out of the store in anger. Kisame shook his head and sighed.

"Who is Yuka?" Melody wondered and I went up to her.

"It's none of your business Melody. We shouldn't pry into Itachi's life like that-" I told her but she turned to me.

"I want to know what made him become so angry like that. I want to know why when he imagined Yuka, why his eyes showed such hurt and hate. It was like it wasn't you, Suine. I know how Itachi looks at you and I know that it is not like that."

"Melody's right." Kisame told us, "How about you guys get out of the dresses and I'll tell you about Yuka Kisangani."

. . .

I felt bad about using Itachi's debit card but I just didn't have the money for this dress. I knew I would pay him back, save up all my money to repay him for this dress. I gave the card to the store clerk and she just nodded, swiping it and telling me to enter in the pin. Kisame just came up and entered in some stuff and then the dresses were paid for. The store clerk smiled and we sat on a bench, in the store to wait for Itachi.

"Yuka Kisangani..." Kisame sighed, "Where to begin..."

"I've heard that name, I'm sure." Melody started and Kisame nodded.

"She goes to our school, a third year like us." Kisame stated, "Back in first year, Itachi met Yuka. He was a lot different back then, a geek like you. Still he was very popular because of his money but his personality was all geek. He wasn't a part of the Student Council or cared about his cool look. He cared about his grades, he is very intelligent. And he used to smile, all the time...Anyways, Yuka was a part of the bullies I guess you can say. Itachi had a crush on her but he did nothing about it, until Yuka approached him one day. Itachi was really happy, she made him really happy. They got together and he fell in love with her. But that all changed once he realized that she was just using him."

"Using him?" I asked.

"Yuka had actually cared nothing about Itachi, dating him for a year for everything but the right reason. She dated him to get his money, which she stole some when she left him. She cheated on him all the time, lying to him, hurting him by telling him no one could ever love someone like him. She dated him to get one guy in particular jealous. She had used him, leaving a big scar on his heart. Then, to make things even worse, she made rumours about him...about him being the worst guy ever, physically abusing her, etc. It took a while for us to get rid of those rumours." Kisame looked down in sadness.

"She was the one who started those rumours!?" Melody gasped, "I wondered who started it."

"Then Itachi changed. He changed into the cool, depressed guy he is now. Everyone started to believe he cared about no one...but it was just because his heart was too hurt to think about letting people in...That is who Yuka Kisangani is."

"...This Yuka...Took away his smile...That is the most unforgivable thing a human being can do to another. Poor Itachi...He must have major trust issues now." I wondered and Kisame nodded.

"It took a long time for him to begin to trust me again." Kisame told me and I felt my heart hurt, "Took him even longer to want to smile. Thanks to you, he finds it easier too."

"I'm glad that I can give him some sort of happiness." I sighed, "But how could she...How could she do that to Itachi..."

We all sighed in sadness and then Itachi came back to us. He looked sadly at Kisame, rubbing the back of his head. We all watched him, wondering what he was going to say.

"Look...Kisame-san..." Itachi sighed but Kisame smiled.

"Don't worry man, we're cool." Kisame told him and Itachi nodded, smiling a little.

"You guys bought your dresses?" Itachi turned to us and we nodded.

"Thank you Itachi-kun." I smiled and Melody nodded, agreeing with me, "I promise to repay you."

"No need. I won't allow you to anyways."

Itachi smiled at me and we all stood up to leave the store. As we left the mall all I could think about was Yuka. How much I wanted to help Itachi get over that scar of his. But what I found myself wanting to do more than anything else was punch her in the face. I have never felt so much anger towards someone than this woman. What was coming over me?

. . .

A week had passed since that day at the mall and tonight was the night of the dance. Melody and I were in our dresses, waiting in the lobby for a cab to come get us, which was surprisingly taking a lot longer than we had expected. Both Melody and I had our hair straightened and had part of the hair tied back with the bows that came with the dresses.

"You girls look gorgeous." Mira said as she came in front of us, making the both of us smile.

"Thanks Mira…" I lightly replied, "For everything…"

"You always thank me for everything, I told you not to worry about it. I was happy to be able to help such amazing girls like you. Even though I may not be your biological mothers…I want you to know that I personally see you both as my daughters. I want you guys to know no matter what I will be here for you." Mira stated as a tear came off of her cheek.

I went up to Mira and immediately put my arms around here. I felt another pair of arms come over top of me, hugging both Mira and me.

"We know…Thank you so much…mom." I told her and I could hear her gasp.

We let Mira go out of her hug and stared at our mother. Even though I knew my mother was watching me from above, I had another mother who was protecting me while I was down here, on the ground. I was so happy to be able to feel like I had some sort of family. Even if it was a bit messed up, we were a family.

Melody and I saw the cab pull up to the front of the apartment complex. Melody and I went out of the lobby, saying goodbye to Mira, and went into the cab, ready to finally go to this dance.

. . .

We walked out of the cab together, giving the cab driver his fare and looked towards the school. There were fancy lights pouring out of the gym doors, making me wonder if I had made the right choice in coming. Then I thought of Itachi's smile and I knew that this was the right decision to have been made.

"Nervous?" Melody asked me as I sighed.

"Only a little…" I began but we both pressed on, going towards the gym doors.

We walked into the gym doors, once we signed ourselves in at the desk, to ensure we were actual students of this school. I looked around the room to see people dancing in the most beautiful and fantastic way; such a renaissance way of dancing made my heart flutter. There were a group of students surrounding a circle of students dancing, which were all of the student council members. I guess their dances come first.

I looked around the students and smiled when I saw Itachi dancing with a girl; but I only smiled at Itachi. He wore a black suit that was tight against his muscular and skinny body. With a white buttoned down shirt underneath the blazer. Around his neck was a black tie that he kept secured to his shirt by a silver clip. He wore white gloves, which only completed his look more. He had black fancy dress shoes on that almost screamed how rich he was.

Melody and I pushed our way through the crowd to get to the front row of the dancing. Melody nudged me when we saw Kisame giving us a smile and we both waved to him. My attention fell back upon Itachi who was quite focused in dancing with this girl. I'd have to say that he did look dashing and hot in that suit. I could feel my cheeks redden with embarrassment, well I believe it was at least.

"I wish you guys could have danced together." Melody told me and I turned to her, "It would have been cute."

"Oh shut it Melody." I told her and she just smiled, looking back to Kisame.

My eyes wanted to look away from Itachi but they just couldn't. It was unbelievable how much my heart raced when I looked at him. My eyes widened the moment the dance had ended and everyone clapped in happiness. Itachi said goodbye to his partner and looked over in my direction. His eyes widened the moment he saw me there and a warm smile came upon him. He went to come over to me but another dance started. His mouth opened but I shook my head, telling him to go complete his dances. He nodded and turned around to his next dance partner.

A couple of dances later, the majority of the Student Council had run out of dances but there was still one dance left to get to; and of course it had to be Itachi. He looked to me again once the ending of his second last dance had come and smiled at me. Kisame was beside us by this time and he began to talk to us again once the music had begun to start up.

"Sorry this first part is so boring to you girls." Kisame told us but we both shrugged, "Melody, may I have the next dance with you?"

"A…Sure." Melody replied and Kisame smiled at her.

However, all happiness ended once we heard Itachi's voice start up in sadness. My eyes widened at the things he said and I heard Kisame curse under his breath. Melody looked to me, our eyes connecting, realizing how serious this situation really was.

"Y…Yuka!" Itachi's voice yelped out in pain as I swore I could hear the sound of that wound tearing open again.

"Hello Itachi-kun…" Her voice brought my attention to her. Her dark purple eyes stared down at Itachi. She had her long silver hair tied up into a high ponytail, a skimpy dress that she wore to make herself look seductive and she wore high heeled shoes that brought her up to Itachi's height, "Miss me? I figured we could have the last dance together, seeing as how much I realized that you have changed to become a more interesting man since our last endeavour together."

"…You…It's all your fault I'm this way." Itachi told her but she seemed completely un-phased by his accusation.

"And look at how well you have turned out because of it." Silence filled the room except for the song in the background that continued but it still wasn't enough to break the silence or the tension, "To think it is all because of me that you have changed to be a better man…It's almost romantic…Come on Itachi-kun…" She placed a hand on his cheek which made him flinch, "Dance with me…because you still love me-"

"No." Itachi threw her hand off of his cheek and her eyes widened in surprise, "I don't want to dance with you…Not now, not ever…" Itachi sighed and she looked angrily at him, "I don't love you…How could I ever love an evil creature like you?"

"A…A what!?" Yuka yelled out in anger, wanting to fight back to his comment but her eyes showed she had nothing to use. Itachi's seriousness was enough to turn down anyone, "You are being ridiculous Itachi!" She grinned and my eyes widened, "Do not try to hide your emotions from me; I can tell that you have been a wreck without me around." She stared Itachi in the eyes who showed no sign of backing down, "You were doing so well; you had shown your true colours to the world; you became who you really were…But then you lost it again…You became a failure, a disgrace to your family. You made your little brother hate your very guts, you made an enemy out of your father, and even worse you have lost your position in the Student Council." Itachi's eyes widened, "You have begun to lose yourself to that stupid geek crowd; even going as far as to protect a lowly girl in comparison to you-"

"Don't you call her that-" Itachi angrily looked to her but she just held her hand onto his cheek.

"I just speak the truth Itachi…And I am trying to get you back to who you really are. Don't lie to yourself…" She brought her mouth up to his ear and began to whisper something in his ear.

His eyes widened and then he looked down in sadness. She was hurting him, just like she had done before. Why wouldn't she leave him alone? I watched everyone else's shocked reactions freeze them from even thinking about saying anything in his defence. Was this really how everyone had felt about Itachi? That he was a failure who lost everything because of a girl like me? I saw Kisame take a step to stop Yuka but I went in front of him.

"Don't listen to her Itachi-kun." I told him and Yuka stepped away from his ear; with a devilish smile on her face that signified that she had already accomplished her goal, "I don't care what it is she is saying; it is a lie! She doesn't know you at all! She never has, that's why she lost you."

"Oh and who are you to say such things? You, who have taken everything away from him and who constantly continue to drag him down…Nothing that comes out of your mouth has been the truth!" Yuka tried to fight back but I just rolled my eyes and turned my attention to Itachi, who continued to look away from me.

"Itachi, you know me…I wouldn't lie. Please just look up at me…" I told him but instead he pushed himself out of the room, going around the crowd. My eyes widened and Kisame went running after Itachi; wanting to calm him down. Yuka looked at the entrance that Itachi had walked out of; smiling an evil smile and I felt my anger boil up within me. She had done something to Itachi, said something that made him feel alone again.

"Don't you worry your little heart anymore girly, Itachi is mine." Yuka began and I walked closer up to her, "I will be taking care of him now-"

"You bitch…" I began and her eyes widened, as the crowd's voices gasped. I looked up to her, feeling the tears rush down my face, "He is not some toy that you can play with whenever you wish! He is not a dog that is at your beck and call! How dare you treat him with any less respect than he deserves. I don't care what you said to him but I know that it makes you an evil person, truly your heart can never be saved from the darkness within yourself."

"My…My darkness? Now you are just rambling-"

"You have no right to try to take away any sort of happiness he has found without you in his life! Just because he is happy without you does not mean you get to barge in and try to take him back! It's your fault that he has such a big scar on his heart! And I hope you will feel that guilt for the rest of your life!" I told her but she scuffed. She went to grab my hair but my fist acted faster than her, punching her square in the cheek, sending her to the ground a few feet away from me, "You listen closely…If you ever try to hurt him again…" I began as her eyes showed the fear she had for me, "I will hunt you down and I will give you more than just a punch. That's a promise."

She stayed there on the ground as I turned away from her. The crowd said nothing as I walked over to Melody who just nodded to me. We both walked out of the gymnasium, out the same entrance Itachi walked through. Once outside we looked around the large grassy area and saw no trace of either Itachi or Kisame. We continued to walk up the large entryway of our school until we made it to the front gates of our school. I saw Kisame there with his arms up in the air as a limo pulled away from the sidewalk.

"Kisame-san!" My voice cracked and Kisame turned around to the both of us.

"Oh…Melody, Suine…" Kisame sighed as his arms went down to his side.

"What happened? Why did he go!? Is he okay?" I worried like hell as I felt the tears fall more now than when I was standing up to Yuka.

"He went home…He didn't say a word to me…He just left." Kisame looked down in sadness and I felt my heart hurt more than it ever did before, "I'm surprised Yuka isn't out here rubbing this in-"

"She can't." Melody started, "Suine punched her in the face."

"What!? You punched Yuka?" Kisame asked and I nodded, "Damn you really do care about Itachi, huh?"

"Of course I care about him!" I felt my heart pour out its feelings, as the tears ran off of my cheeks, "Itachi means a lot to me! He is the one person I can turn to that isn't Melody, the one that I can tell everything to!" I felt my heart sting as I thought about the look Itachi had on his face when Yuka whispered in his ear, "Every smile, every laugh, every word…It's all been special to me…" My eyes widened as my heart pounded, I knew this feeling, "Oh god…"

"Suine…" Melody turned to me, giving me a shocked look, "You…Have you…"

"I…" I fell to my knees, "I love him…I love him…I love…Itachi…" The tears streamed down my face harder than ever before. I had fallen in love with Itachi, through everything we have been though, I really cared, "I love him…"


	7. Chapter 7

_Suddenly it's different_

Kisame had walked the both of us home that night and helped us get our minds off of Itachi and Yuka's encounter. It was harder for him to get my mind off of that topic, seeing as how I just had a revelation of my affections towards him but somehow he managed. Kisame stayed with us that night, sleeping on the couch. Melody asked him too, she felt that I would need to have friends around me and she was right. Melody even got Mira to come and tuck me into bed, giving me a kiss goodnight on my forehead. We had no idea what had happened to Itachi but we knew; we could feel that it wasn't good. Something she said changed him.

I stood outside on the balcony; staring out into the bright blue sky. The sun shinned its beautiful bright light all over the entire neighbourhood. The streets were empty even though it was 8 in the morning. I could always tell when it was a Saturday. However, I wasn't as lucky as everyone else in town. I had to work; at a little café shop down the street called Morning Brew's. I heard Melody rummaging through our fridge inside and I smiled, I was happy to be working at the same place as her.

I ignored my sad thoughts of Itachi, at least for now, and went back inside to see Melody look at me with a shocked face. Just like me, she had our uniforms for the café. There was a black headband with white ruffled cloth at each end that we had to wear on top of our heads. Around our neck we had to wear the same styled band as the headband but as a chocker necklace. After that the dress began, which started a bit after our shoulders, it was made to stand there on our shoulders. There was a strip of the same styled band as the headband around the top of the dress, but after that the style changed. It was a black dress that had long sleeves that were tight at the top of our arms but loose by the time they reached our wrists. The sleeve widened at our wrists and a white ruffled material covered the entire inside of the sleeve. At our chest was a white bow that was tiny but added to the cute look. At our waist was a white half apron that started at our waist and ended half way down the dress, with a big white bow tied on the back to keep it up. After the apron the black dress continued until it reached a bit above our knees. Just like the sleeves there was ruffled white material that covered underneath the black material. The last thing to our uniform was black high heeled boots that ended right at our knees.

"We have no milk again!" Melody's shocked face was explained and I chuckled. Suddenly, a moan interrupted us and we looked to the couch to see Kisame roll over. My eyes widened as did his when he looked at me.

"Huh…This is some messed up dream…" Kisame said as he looked to Melody and then rolled off the bed, "Why are you two dressed like this!?" Kisame stood up, holding back the redness that came to his cheeks.

"Don't get excited…" Melody rolled her eyes and I chuckled, "It's for our job."

"Your job?" Kisame asked and I nodded.

"Of course, we have to get money somehow. We pay Mira back for giving us this home and we have other people to pay off as well." I told him as Melody looked to me.

"We do?" She asked.

"Well, we do have to pay Itachi back for the dresses…" I continued and the silence entered the room again. I wanted to avoid using his name, at least for this weekend but it was worse when we ignored his name. It made it hurt more, "Look I can say his name-"

"Of course you can…" Kisame began, "We are just worried about you…I mean after the way he treated all of us…We just didn't want to bring up any hurt feelings."

"He hasn't done much as of now." I told them both but Kisame looked away.

"He's done enough for me." He sighed, "He never looked at me that way…He never treated me like that."

"Like what?" Melody asked and I could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Like I was one of them…Like the student council, like his father…" I put a hand onto his shoulder and I saw a tear stream down his face, "It hurt. He ignored me like I was never important to him..."

"You know you're important to him." I started, "I'm sure he'll get over it…He's just got a lot on his mind…We have to give him space and time."

"Do you think so?"

"I really do…"

"Suine! We are going to be late! We have to go!" Melody screamed as she looked at the clock we had hanging up on our kitchen wall.

"Oh!" I yelped as we both ran to the door.

"Can I come?" Kisame asked and we both turned to him, "Not to watch or anything…In fact, I'm actually looking for a job so I would like to see if I could work there."

"At a café shop?" I asked him and he nodded.

"Tips would be a great way to get more money."

"Well…I guess we can talk to boss…"

"Thanks!"

And just like that we all walked out of our house and went down the street to the café shop. When we got to the shop, Kisame was totally shocked by the classiness of this place. It was filled with golden booths with elegant white tables. The room was filled with plants to give the room a more elegant look. Straight ahead from the entrance doors was a red carpet that led up to a podium with a hostess there. Her name was Shiki, a wonderful brunette that loved to smile.

"Oh!" Shiki's high pitched voice shrieked in happiness, "Melody, Suine! I'm so glad you guys are here! Whose your friend?"

"This is Kisame Hoshikage; he wants to talk to boss about being a butler here." Melody told Shiki whose eyes widened at him.

"You want to be a butler?" Shiki told him and he nodded, "That's great! You are the first boy who wanted to be a butler here; boss has been looking for one forever now! She knows that having a guy in here will bring the girls around here but like I said no one came. I'll take you to her office."

Kisame smiled and followed Shiki. Melody and I went past the podium and into the back where the lockers were. We began to put our jackets in the locker when suddenly; Kisame was pushed into the locker room by our boss. Our boss wore the same uniform as us; seeing as how she goes on the floor sometimes to help us out. She had short purple hair that barely ended in the middle of her neck. Her dark blue eyes stared at us with so much happiness I thought that she was going to burst like a bubble.

"You guys are amazing!" Our boss, Kana, told us and we smiled, "Bringing in this guy was an amazing idea!"

"Well he asked about it, it was more his idea-" I tried to say but Kana interrupted us by coming up to us and holding our hands.

"We are going to get so much more money now that the ladies will want to come here to see Kisame-san! He is cute, young; we will finally get all the younger females in here now! I cannot thank you guys enough! But I am so happy that you wanted to work here Kisame-san." Kana began and he smiled.

"Well I need some job to pay the bills and I get to work with friends so it's a bonus. Thank you for allowing me to work here." Kisame told her and she squealed.

"This is perfect. Here-" Kana ran off into another room and came back with a black suit for Kisame, "This is your uniform! Suit up everyone it's time for our shifts to start!"

Kana walked off, more like skipped off, to her office and Kisame turned to us. We all began to laugh at Kana's reaction.

"What happened? You were gone for two seconds." Melody told him as he sighed.

"I went in there, saying I was looking for work then she rushed me off here once she asked who sent me." Kisame began and we laughed some more.

"Well suit up, we will teach you the ropes here. I hope you enjoy it here Kisame-san." I told him and he nodded.

"I will."

. . .

Kisame walked home with us, with a huge smile on his face. He carried his uniform home as he walked back in his old dirty clothes. But that didn't matter to him; he not only made money he had one of the best times working with us. I had to admit, I enjoyed having him at work too.

"Hey do you want to sleep over again tonight?" Melody threw out that suggestion, "We all have work again tomorrow and I'm sure we can use the company still."

"Yes…I would like the company as well." I told Kisame and he smiled.

"Okay but let me just stop at my apartment and pick up some clothes." Kisame told us, "But you aren't allowed to come in, it's a pretty bad apartment and I don't exactly trust all the guys that live there."

We all nodded in agreement and enjoyed the walk home together. Once we were home, Melody and Kisame began to rummage through the board game closet-Melody's closet that is- while I stood out on the balcony again, watching the sun turn the sky into a light purple. The sunset was always so beautiful but tonight it made me feel different. I tried so hard all day to stop my heart stop from thinking about how Itachi was but it was harder than it seemed.

As I stared off into the sunset, playing with Itachi's necklace, all I could think about was that something was going to be different on Monday at school. And I was going to hate every second of it.


	8. Chapter 8

_Unbreakable tension_

Kisame and Melody waited for me outside of the cab, as I tried to shuffle out of the cab. I went out of the cab and paid the driver, smiling as Kisame and Melody gave me a big smile. However, to make us all hold our breath was a limousine, with the Uchiha's symbol on the front of the car. I felt my body tense up and Kisame's eyes looked scared as the door opened. Sasuke walked out, holding onto Karin's hand. Suigetsu and Jugo soon followed and that was when my throat really tightened up. I had no idea why I was so frightened but I could feel that something was not right.

"W-We…We should get going…" I told them but no one's bodies moved a muscle.

I saw a hand grab onto the top of the door and pull themselves out. Itachi was there like normal, with his black sunglasses covering any emotion. We all froze as we saw him stick a hand into the limo and another hand grabbed a hold of it. My mouth opened wide when I saw that Yuka came out of the limo. I felt the tears begin to build up in my eyes and I saw Kisame flinch.

Itachi just walked past us like we weren't even there, like we were strangers. Yuka gave me an evil smile as she walked on past, holding onto Itachi's arm. My heart hurt more than ever before in my life. I felt the tears just come down my cheeks and I knew that, the Itachi I knew was gone.

"Oh Suine…" Melody pulled me into a hug, "Hush…Don't cry dear…Don't cry…Everything will be alright…"

"No…Not again…" I told her and I felt another set of arms go around me. I looked up to see Kisame hugging me too.

"Don't worry…We will stick together…No matter what." Kisame stated and my heart just poured out, I no longer felt like I was ever going to see that Itachi again.

. . .

Kisame and Melody stared cautiously at me as we sat down at the lunch table. I played with my food, rather than eating it. Sakura, Hinata and Ino stayed quiet rather than getting involved with why I was so depressed. They told us they heard what happened, and Sakura took this chance to remind me how she warned me that Itachi was an evil guy. I just ignored her boasting and I could feel my heart swell up in pain.

It had never felt like this before. It was like everywhere I was I saw Itachi and it hurt more than anything. My heart pounded, bringing up memories that made me want to cry my heart out. It was numbing, this depression took every happy moment I had every felt and hid it away from me. I should have listened to the warnings, I should never have thought about falling for a guy like him.

"Take that back." Melody told me and my eyes widened, "I know exactly what you were thinking. You were agreeing with Sakura here, who knows shit all about the situation and should shut her mouth, and you want to take back everything you have ever felt about Itachi…You want to punish yourself for falling for him."

"Wait!" Sakura looked to me, "You fell in love…with him?" She whispered and I looked away.

"Sakura, don't be hard on Suine-san anymore…Her heart must hurt enough as it is." Hinata told Sakura and she nodded.

"Take it back." Kisame continued with Melody and I sighed.

"I won't." I told them both and they still stared at me with intense eyes, "I regret it. I regret every decision, every move, every smile…I regret it all. If I knew it was going to hurt like this then-"

"Then what? You wouldn't have wanted to follow your mother's wishes and try to help everyone you see in trouble? You would have looked at him and said there is no way I should go cheer him up? You know just as well as I do, you would never have changed a damn thing." Melody told me and I looked down.

"It just hurts…" I explained as she put a hand onto my shoulder, "Just like Kisame-san said…He looks at you as if you are one of those people who hurt him…That look kills me more than anything."

"Him being with Yuka again doesn't help the situation. What the hell did she say to him?" Kisame asked himself but we all stopped talking when we saw Yuka and Itachi walking this way, "Stay quiet…"

Yuka gave me her, I won smile, and my eyes widened in pain. Itachi just looked the other way, as if I never mattered anything to him. I felt the tears begin to stream down my face the moment they walked a little bit past me.

"I told you bitch…" Yuka whispered as she passed by me, "He's mine…And I'm going to make sure he stays my toy."

I stood up and they continued to walk as if they didn't notice. I wiped away my tears and angrily turned to them. Melody quickly got up to stop me but it was too late. I grabbed Itachi's necklace, breaking the chain that held it around my neck, and threw it at Itachi's head. Itachi turned around in anger and Yuka turned around with an evil smirk on her face. However, I saw Itachi's mouth open in shock, probably at my state.

"Is this what you wanted!?" I yelled at him, not caring if everyone else in the room stared, "Is this what you wanted to see? Was this your goal all along?" He said nothing and I felt my heart pound in sadness, "You take that damned necklace, you take all of it back! I want nothing of it! I want to forget it all!" I saw his face stay shocked, as if he didn't expect me to be hurt, "You were just like everyone said you were! You really aren't different! Well I won't give you, any of you the satisfaction of seeing my tears! I won't cry anymore! And I want you to know, it's all because of you!"

I quickly ran out of the cafeteria, not wanting to deal with the pain anymore. I heard footsteps following me as I ran into an empty classroom. I stood there as the tears quickly streamed down my face. My knees buckled and I fell to the floor. The door opened behind me and arms wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me into a hug.

"Hush now…" Melody's voice said as she began to rock me back and forth, "Everything is going to be okay…" I felt something wet fall onto my shoulder and I knew that she was crying too, "Just hang on…Hang on…"

_~Kisame's POV~_

I watched as Suine ran out of the cafeteria and Melody quickly followed her. Her voice, her heart, it was all broken because of Itachi. I knew Itachi loved her, I had no idea that he would do this to such a beautiful soul as herself. I angrily turned back to Itachi who still stood there shocked. I quickly went up to him, picking him up and pushing him up against a wall. He yelped in some pain but it didn't matter to me.

"Where do you get the right? You have no right to make that girl cry! You have no right to break her heart! Thanks to you, that heart now has a wound as big as the one you got from your little bitch friend over there!" I yelled in his face but his voice spoke no words, "Do we really mean that little to you!"

"I should be asking you the same thing!" Itachi yelled back, "My friend would have stuck beside me and would have never betrayed me! But instead you proved that you only care about everything else! You went to them instead-"

"Of what Itachi? Comforting you?" I angrily told him, "Don't be stupid! Remember it was you who left us stranded with no explanation! And I am your friend! That's why I'm trying to wake you up! That girl is the best thing that ever happened to you and you just blew it!" I screamed in his face and I smashed him against the wall, making his sunglasses fall, "That girl was everything you needed! Your friend would have known that! Your friend would have tried to keep the hope that maybe Itachi was just being a dick for a day and that he still cares for you alive! I did all of that! I stayed by her side! I watched her cry! I watched her heart break! I watched her best friend cry because there was nothing she could do to make her friend's heart break go away! And all of this is your fault! So how dare you go and say that I am not your friend! And if you know what's good for you, you will do everything in your power to prove to all of us that you were just being a dick for a day!" I told him as I let him off of the wall, "I don't know what that bitch told you and I don't care. It gives you no right to treat us this way! It gives you no right to hurt us like this!"

The room filled with silence, not a single word was said as I screamed at Itachi. Itachi's eyes widened but I just took a step away from him, closing my eyes in anger. I turned around and looked at Yuka who fearfully looked at me.

"I hate you…" I told her and her eyes widened, "If you try to hurt Suine again, I will kill you."

Yuka sunk down as I gave her ever single bit of hate that I have ever had. I shook my head and began to run out of the cafeteria.

"Suine! Melody!" I yelled out for them, hoping that they were not too far and that I could still be there to comfort the both of them.

I quickly went down the hallway and heard crying from a classroom to my left. I opened the door the crying was coming from and saw on the floor two girls holding each other with tears coming down their faces.

"Suine…Melody…" They both turned to me and ran into my arms, crying their hearts out. One was heartbroken and the other cried in sadness for her best friend. Itachi you messed up, you messed up big.


	9. Chapter 9

_Shutting you out_

_~Suine's POV~_

I walked to school with Kisame and Melody one each side of me. It had been three weeks since that incident in the cafeteria. Itachi still avoided us; like we were some contagious disease. I had never felt more terrible then I did now. Everyone has noticed the change in me; the wound on my heart hurt more than anything and changed every bit of myself that I loved. I no longer smiled as often as I used to, I was depressed more than anything. Melody and Kisame made sure my mind stayed off of Itachi as much as possible, but it was harder than it seemed. Every single brain cell worked towards figuring out why he had suddenly hated us but nothing came up. And I thought that he cared, I thought he was falling for me too.

"Hey! I have an idea! Why don't we, after work, go see a movie!" Melody happily said and Kisame smiled, "I heard that new action packed thriller, Lakeside, came out yesterday! Come on! How about it?"

"I can't but you two should go." I told her and they looked upset.

"Why can't you come?" Melody asked and I looked away, "Oh no, I will not leave you alone to go deliver his damn money to him. We had already talked about this, you going alone could result in him hurting you more and I don't want you to lose the progress you had made-"

"That's why I must go alone…" I began, "If I am to ever get over this depression, I feel that I need to lose all ties to him. And this is the last thing that keeps us connected, in my eyes. I still owe him money for buying the both of us dresses Melody. As much as you would just like to turn a blind eye to it, I cannot. My heart won't begin to heal until he's gone for good."

"Is that why you have been taking extra hours from work?" Kisame asked me and I nodded, "I think we should let her do it, Melody."

"What! Why!?" Melody angrily retorted.

"Because she obliviously needs to do this. And Itachi isn't changing so we need to make sure that she is able to let him go. If this is what her heart needs then let her have it. It's her closure."

"…Ugh…Fine…But I want a call right after our movie! You better tell me everything that happens…"

"I will… I promise." I explained to them and they both smiled, satisfied with that answer.

. . .

By the time that school had ended, the three of us had to run to work just to be able to get there on time. We all had our uniforms tucked safely into our backpacks, ready to go the moment we got to work. Kana just laughed at us when we came in all out of breath. She allowed us a five minute break before work began. We all quickly got ready and went onto to the floor for our shift.

Kana had noticed that there was something wrong with me about 2 weeks ago. However, she never had any complaints for I just put on a mask the moment I clocked in. She did have a talk with me to make sure I was okay but I just told her that she was imagining things. I knew she didn't buy it but it kept her away from prying anymore.

I smiled lightly to Kisame who began cleaning the table next to me. I wiped the table down and wiped off a little bit of sweat that came down my face.

"Suine!" I heard a voice say and I saw Shiki waving to me, "Can you get the next costumer? I have to go to the washroom!"

"Yeah sure! I'll be there in a minute!" I told Shiki as the bell rang from the door, meaning that a customer had just arrived.

Shiki ran off towards the back of the café to go to the washroom. I quickly went over to the door and grabbed some menus from the podium before looking at my costumers. I gave a big smile and closed my eyes to try to hide my sadness.

"Welcome to Morning Brew's. How may I help you today?" I began as I opened my eyes, "Will this be a takeout or dine…" My throat closed at the man I saw standing in front of me, with the girl I hated more than anyone.

"Suine right?" Yuka's voice began and I saw Itachi look away from me, actually showing his eyes this time. However his cheeks had reddened but he seemed to ignore it.

"No…No I'm not doing this…" I took a step back and I felt Kisame's eyes on me.

"Suine is everything okay?" Kisame asked as he came up to me and then saw our customers, "Son of a bitch."

"K-Kisame…" Itachi's voice spoke up and his eyes widened.

"Suine, go take your break, you deserve it." Kisame told me and I looked down, "Welcome to Morning Brew's. Will this be a takeout or dine in?"

"Dine in." Yuka smirked happily as Kisame rolled his eyes. He grabbed two menus and turned to me, putting a hand upon my shoulder.

"Go talk to Kana. Tell her Kisame says it's urgent and that you need to go home…" Kisame told me, loud enough for Itachi and Yuka to hear.

"Oh so soon? I was so hoping Suine would be able to serve us." Yuka remarked but Itachi said nothing.

"If you speak another word to me, besides your order, I will kick you out." Kisame told her and she smiled.

"I don't think the manager would like that very much."

"Guys, what's going on?" Melody came beside me but Kisame balled his fists in anger, "Oh…you have got to be fucking kidding me."

"Take Suine to Kana, I'll handle this." Kisame told her as she grabbed me and pulled me away from the scene.

I didn't know when my lungs opened up for air again and when my heart began to beat again. All I knew was that Itachi was here and now my heart was unstable at work. Melody brought me to Kana and explained the story to her; I was too shaken up to even say a word. Kana brought me my stuff and put my jacket over my shoulders.

"Go home Suine…" Kana smiled to me as she began to bring me to the door.

Everyone's eyes were one me as we walked down the red carpet. Once we reached the podium she turned me around to her and my sad eyes looked up to her. She smiled, trying to make it feel okay but nothing could. Suddenly, to surprise everyone, Kana kissed me lightly on the forehead, just like a mother would. My eyes widened and she put her arms onto my shoulders.

"Suine…" She lightly said but the dead silence made it loud enough for everyone to hear, including Itachi, "Go home, fix your heart okay? You have done so much for me, this is the least I can do for you. Don't even worry about the next week's shifts; they will be given to other people. Take a break and recuperate. I don't want to see that fake smile when you come back okay?"

She lightly gave me a hug and pushed me out of the door. I took another look at the café's doors before turning around and leaving to be at home for the rest of the night.

. . .

Later that night Kisame and Melody came back from their work shift and they were discussing their stories. I stood beside the wall around the corner, listening into their conversation.

"Seeing Kana act like a mother to Suine…That just made my day." Melody told Kisame and he laughed.

"That's true, I truly am thankful that she was able to get out of that situation." Kisame began to tell Melody, "God…Yuka had some nerve to continue to talk to Suine like that. I really thought I was going to punch her in the face. I would have punched her if we weren't at work."

"I know what you mean. Did they treat you like shit afterwards?"

"Well, Itachi said nothing but you know of course Yuka said something…Actually, she said something really weird. She said 'Now that you can't have our money, you go to try to make your own and look like the good guy huh?'" Kisame paused, "I don't get it…"

"That is weird. I wonder what she meant by that…"

"But besides that they left me alone. I would have snapped if she had pushed me any further. Somehow I have the feeling Kana would have been okay with that…"

"Oh she would have been…Hey we should go check on Suine. I can't believe of all the places to be, he came into our café."

"Hey, you guys home?" My voice asked as I came around the corner and saw them, acting like I heard nothing of their conversation, "How was work?"

"Oh it was work." Melody told me as she came up to me and pulled me into a hug, "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Melody. You guys overreacted-"

"Don't say we overreacted." Kisame told me and I shut up about it, "That was the proper way to handle that situation."

"If you say so…" I replied as I squirmed my way out of Melody's grasp, "I have to go now. I want to get this over with."

"You don't have to go you know…" Melody chimed in but I shook my head.

"I do. Just like Kisame-san said earlier, I need closure and this is my way of getting it." I told her and she sighed.

"Be careful."

"I will I promise." I paused for a second, "Kisame do you know where Itachi lives?"

"…" He chuckled and wrote down an address on a piece of paper, "Don't get lost."

"Yes dad!" I told him and he rolled his eyes.

I went past Kisame and Melody as I headed for the door. I grabbed my jacket and left the apartment, heading down to the street. I pulled out the piece of paper that Kisame wrote down and began to follow the roads down to his street. I had a roll of cash in my pocket, ready to be delivered in full to Itachi for the price of the dresses. Even though I wanted to give him back the money, at the same time I didn't. I wasn't quite sure if I was ready to let him go, after all I had still wanted him to love me or just like me again.

What bugged me more than anything was that he fell for whatever Yuka's plotting. How could he believe lies about us? I wish I knew what Yuka had said so that way I could prove her wrong and get the Itachi I used to know back. Maybe that was why I was going alone. I knew that Kisame and Melody would have disapproved, since they believed Itachi was a lost cause but I knew that I could get him back. Somewhere in my heart, I wanted to do so, even though it hurt more than anything.

I looked at the address on the paper again and stopped when I made it right beside Itachi's house. It was a huge old Japanese mansion, probably one of the most expensive houses I have ever seen, even though I was on rich lane. It had big stone walls covering the majority of the house, except for the entrance. I peeked around the corner of the wall and gasped when I saw Itachi outside on the grounds.

He was raking up some leaves, with his back turned away from the entrance. He wore an old looking kimono. He had a long sleeved black jacket- which ended down at his knees- around a dark blue sleeved kimono. There was the Uchiha emblem imprinted on the back of the jacket. He wore black kimono pants that ended a bit above his ankles. Then he wore white socks and the traditional wooden sandals that they used to wear all the time in the past. I guess the Uchiha's really were an old traditional family; from what I heard this house has been in the Uchiha's family for over 6 generations.

Itachi didn't notice me at all as his saddened eyes stayed focus on the chore he was made to do. His eyes were what really hit me. I have never seen such sadness in his eyes, such loneliness and pain. Something happened to him too; we weren't the only ones being affected by Yuka. His heart was just as hurt as mine. He hid these eyes from all of us with his sunglasses, but somehow I knew that his heart was crying out for us.

I sighed and took a step out from behind the wall. I had to get this over with, I had to ignore his eyes and his pain. I just had to give him the money and then everything would feel better right?

"I…Itachi…" My voice started before my mind was made up and Itachi's eyes widened. He stared up to me and quickly ran over to me. He put a hand on my mouth and hid the both of us behind the wall.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" He began but I couldn't answer since his hand covered my voice, "You can't be seen here, my father would kill me and you if he saw someone that wasn't rich at our front door." He sighed and then his eyes widened again.

"Itachi!" A male voice began to say from inside the house.

"Stay here…" Itachi began, "Stay quiet. I'll come deal with you later."

Itachi pulled his hand off of my mouth and put a finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet. My heart wanted to yell out at him but my mind obeyed him. For some reason I could tell that even he was a bit frightened.

"Yes father?" Itachi asked as he pretended that he was raking up leaves from the sidewalk.

"Come here!" His father's voice boomed throughout the area, his anger could be felt just through his words.

"Yes father." Itachi went into the entrance and back into the courtyard of his house, "What seems to be the problem?"

"Why don't you tell me?" His father's anger didn't dissipate, "Explain to me why I got a call from my co-workers, telling me about how there is a stop on our new project? Explain to me why your name is signed on the top of a petition that will put a stop to our project?"

"Father, you are going to destroy thousands of homes just to expand your company, which you don't need. Those people, they are friends of Sasuke, old friends of mine. They go to my school and if you continue this damned project of yours they will have nothing!"

"They will have the privilege of helping us create a better production company that can help them."

A limo came up to the sidewalk, hidden by the wall, not disturbing Itachi and his father. I quietly watched as Sasuke stepped out of the limo. His eyes widened the moment our eyes found each other. Sasuke came closer to me and was about to speak but I quickly stopped him. I put my hand onto his mouth and pushed him up against the wall right beside me. I put a finger to my lips and Sasuke's hearing caught the voices of his brother and his father arguing. He lightly took my hand off of his mouth and we both stood up against the wall listening to the conversation continue.

"How will it help them father!?" Itachi fought back which made my eyes widen, "Your project is going to destroy their lives forever! You will take away their lands, their properties just to expand your company which will bring the world more consumer products that those people will never be able to buy! They are having a hard enough time just trying to keep their heads above the water! Sasuke's best friends live there and you are going to take their world away from them."

"Correction, old friends. They are no longer his best friends as they used to be in the academy."

"Of course; you made sure of that didn't you father. Making sure that Sasuke would be there to hear certain parts of the conversations…Telling him lies to make him believe that his friends and me are his main enemies. But they are his best friends no matter what you say; they are his true friends. And you are willing to destroy them just because their land could help you profit more."

"This is why you started the petition? For a stupid reason? This is why you called the council and asked for a debate over this new project idea? This is why you made sure I couldn't fire you before the debate? You are going to appeal to them just to protect Sasuke's friends."

"More than that! To protect everyone from your selfish ideals! Including my old friends…"

"Your old friends…I've heard of them. Kisame Hoshikage, Suine Iburame and Melody Nami…All runaways and all using you for your money. You still care for them even though you know their true intentions."

"That isn't the point-" Itachi paused, "Wait…How do you know that? Yuka said she was the only one who knew and I never once told you their names…How do you know this?" Another pause, "You're spying on me?"

"I had to take measures to protect our family name and the heir to my company. It was necessary to get them out of the picture-"

"What are you saying?"

"Yuka played her part well; she was able to get you out of their greedy grasps."

"Played her part?" I could feel Itachi's pain and my heart began to feel for him, "W-What are you talking about! What did you do!?"

"I told you I did what was necessary." His father remained unemotional, "There is no point in hiding it now, and the damage you have caused them will surely keep them away from you." Tears began to run down my face, all this time, it was his father's doing, "Yuka's family, as you know, is another great company, one with great assets, assets to help our family. With a promise for a merger, I was able to get her parents to bring their daughter in for a favour. That favour was to get you away from those pathetic people you called friends and get you to understand your position in my company. Yuka accepted and then made fake evidence to prove that your friends were only after your money. Sure enough she got you away from them and hurt them enough to keep them away from you forever." He paused and I heard Itachi fall to the ground, "It was all necessary for the family, you have to see that. Those friends would only bring you down and take away everything from you-"

"You son of a bitch!" I heard Itachi scream out, "You do this to Sasuke and to me, you try to control us with everything and for what purpose!? You have hurt me for the last time father! You made me hurt them; you made me break their hearts! Do you know how long I have cried over that!?"

"Be a man Itachi…" His father coldly stated and I fell to my knees in pain for Itachi, "Just remove the petition…"

"If you think revealing this to me will make me stop trying to fight against your stupid project, think again!" Itachi's voice rose in anger, "I will never stop fighting you!"

"Then try to fight me outside of here! You are banished from this home, do you understand me!? Banished! I do not want to see your face around here again. Until you have realized what you have done against this family and this corporation, I will never let you back into this house! You will be banned from using our money, from all the resources you have ever had from us!" I heard something get dropped on the floor the moment a snap of fingers had taken place, "Now get out of my sight!"

My heart stopped at those words and I looked to Sasuke who was just as shocked as me. I had to help him; even if he hurt me, it was his father's fault. If I should blame someone it was his father and not Itachi. Sasuke went past me and around the corner, I wanted to go but my body just froze. I just could not move, my body was too shocked to want to move a muscle.

"Brother…" I heard Sasuke's voice begin and I heard Itachi's sobs begin, "Where are you going to go? I have to go talk to father, this is ridiculous-"

"No, Sasuke…" Itachi's voice stopped Sasuke from continuing, "It will just get worse if you get involved…My one chance to stop him is at that council…"

"But what are you going to do? Where are you going to go? I can't just let you suffer because of father's stupidity…" Sasuke sighed, "I'm so sorry Itachi…I should have known better than to blame you. And now I know that father had also tried to control me as well…"

"I do not blame you; I didn't want you to know. But maybe it would have been easier if I just told you the truth right from the start. I am sorry for hiding so many things for you…I just wanted to protect you." Itachi paused, "I hurt them all, it's all my fault…They hate me…They'll always hate me…Kisame-san had warned me and I should have listened. I lost him, the greatest friend I ever had…Melody…and Suine, I lost her and that hurts more than anything…"

"She's not totally gone, they all aren't gone. Just like Naruto and Sakura…their hope for us to be reminded of who we really are…That never goes away…Besides Suine is just right outside our house anyways."

"Suine! Oh God! Suine!"

My body froze the moment I saw Itachi run out from the entrance, looking for me. More tears streamed down my face the moment his eyes connected with mine. The tears he was holding in came down his cheeks the moment he saw me.

"I-It…Itachi…kun…"My voice pushed past my paralyzed mouth, "Itachi-kun!"

My body finally was freed from its frozen state and pushed forward into his chest. I wrapped my arms around his waist and I gripped onto him. His arms fell onto my back.

"I'm so sorry, Suine…" He spoke to me, "I…I'm back…"

"I've missed you…" I sobbed into his chest, "I've missed you…Itachi-kun…"


	10. Chapter 10

_I'm alone_

Itachi let me go out of the hug that we had found ourselves in. I was unsure of how to describe why my heart had wavered at that moment. My mind was so divided but my heart knew exactly where it wanted to be right at this moment. Itachi looked at me, still with the tears coming down his cheeks, and sighed.

"W-Why…Why did you come here?" He was able to choke out and I lightly pulled the money out of my coat pocket, "…To give me money?" He paused for a moment, "For the dresses?"

I looked down and Itachi looked away in sadness. I knew he was beating himself badly for what he had done. I knew that showing him the money would only validate what his father had said. Sasuke put a hand upon his brother's shoulder. At least Sasuke's view on Itachi changed; at least he can have a brother back again.

"Where are you going to go brother?" Sasuke asked again and Itachi looked down in sadness, "I…I won't be able to sleep at night knowing that you are stuck on the streets in the night…I have to help you out; find you some sort of place to stay while this boils over…"

"No need, I will find somewhere to go Sasuke…I'll get a job, I'll just go anywhere…Anywhere is better than showing up at our doorstep defeated…" Itachi spoke out and my heart began to burst out.

"You'll stay with me." I spoke out, "I wouldn't forgive myself if I just let you stay out on the streets. We have room at my apartment…"

"S-Suine…" Itachi lightly spoke to me, "I…I don't want to be a burden to either you or Melody…"

"You won't be…Just please, for Sasuke's sake. At least he will know you are safe and sound."

"T-Thank you…"

I smiled lightly to Itachi and looked away from both of them. What was Melody and Kisame going to say if I came home with Itachi? They were too hurt, especially Kisame. How would he ever be able to look Itachi in the eye, like he used to. Sasuke had nodded and gave some money to Itachi, offering some sort of service that his brother would accept. Just to interrupt us came Yuka, walking down the sidewalk behind both Sasuke and Itachi. My eyes widened in sadness and Itachi noticed that look. Itachi turned around, along with Sasuke, and stopped dead in his tracks when Yuka was there.

"Y-Yuka?" Itachi asked and Yuka's eyes widened when she saw me behind him.

"What is she doing here!?" Yuka screamed out at me, pointing her finger directly in my face, "Don't tell me she made you believe her filthy lies again!"

"Filthy lies!?" Sasuke spoke up in my defence, "Coming from you! You think that you could just deceive my brother forever-"

"Enough Sasuke." Itachi stopped Sasuke and both of our hearts stopped.

"But brother-"

"I will handle this…" Itachi sighed and lightly walked up to Yuka who stared into his eyes. Suddenly, to surprise us all he slapped her across the face, "That is the last time you use me ever you understand!? And if you ever think to come near me again I swear I will do everything to make sure your family loses every bit of fortune they have! And to top it off, if I see you anywhere near Suine, I will personally give you more than that slap. No one gets to fool me like this!"

Yuka looked scared as she backed down. There was not much she could do in this situation. She had been discovered, and not just by Itachi either. She looked down in defeat and held her cheek. She turned around without a word and left Itachi alone, forever.

"Itachi-kun…" My voice spoke up and I noticed that my hand had found itself onto his arm.

"I'm okay…no need to worry, Suine…" Itachi sighed but smiled lightly at me, "We should get going…I'll see you tomorrow at school, Sasuke…"

"Big Brother…be safe okay?"

Itachi nodded and we both began to walk away from his house; as Itachi held onto the duffle bag that his father basically threw at him. Itachi fell silent and my voice no longer wanted to say something to him. Was it really this hard to be able to talk to him again? I don't understand why my heart grew so heavy. He was back, shouldn't I be ecstatic?

"Suine…" Itachi began, breaking the silence between us, "I can't thank you enough for what you are doing for me…I couldn't be sorrier…I don't know how…if you can ever forgive me for what I have done to you…"

"I'm not sure either Itachi…People have hurt me all the time…" I spoke the truth and Itachi's eyes widened, "The moment you gave me that look at school…I knew what being alone felt like but until that point, I never knew how much it really hurt to be alone…I had missed you, Kisame missed you…"

"I know…I should have listened to him, I messed up huge and it's my entire fault."

"But your father-"

"He may have started it and he may have been the one to instigate this…But I believed it. I wanted; no I needed something to be wrong with you…"

"W…Why?"

"Because you were too good…You were too good to me…How was I supposed to ever compare to someone like you."

"Why would you ever need to compare to me?" I told him and he looked at me once, but then turned away.

"…I don't know." He looked down, "But either way I am at fault; just as much as my father is."

The silence began to build up again and I had a sinking feeling that this tension between us wouldn't cease here. I had never felt silence like this before; Itachi had meant the world to me but now it felt like everything was different. But did my feelings for him really change? It scared me more when I thought about my feelings disappearing.

Suddenly, to disrupt my thoughts and the silence was my phone vibrating like crazy in my pocket. Itachi and me, turned the corner that led us to be on the street where my apartment was, the moment I grabbed my phone. My eyes caught a glimpse of Melody and Kisame standing in front of the entrance to our apartment. I quickly reacted by grabbing Itachi's arm and pulling him to the side of the apartment building; listening to their conversation.

"S-Suine…What's the big idea-" Itachi began but I put my finger up to my lips.

"Kisame and Melody are right there!" I whispered to him, "I don't think it's a good idea for you to be seen by them just yet…I have to explain to them what has happened."

"Why can't I just-"

"Because they won't believe you but they will believe me…" I paused and I saw Itachi lean against the wall in sadness, "Just do what I say for now okay?"

Itachi said nothing but nodded to what I had said. I lightly smiled and quietly listened into the conversation that Kisame and Melody were a part of.

"She can take care of herself Melody…You don't always have to worry about her-" Kisame began and I could hear Melody's anger.

"Of course I have to worry about her! Who else would worry about her!? No one! She is everything to me Kisame, everything! We had done everything together, we had been together through all the dark times in our lives!" Melody started to scream at him, "Suine is my Itachi to you! I have to worry about her, protect her, and be the best friend that I can for her! So I'd say I have every right to worry about her!"

There was a long pause and I wondered if they were still there. I peeked around the corner and began to watch Kisame and Melody. Melody had sunk back into her skin; she only got that way when she knew she said something wrong. Kisame looked down with terrible saddened eyes; she really did say something. Melody put a hand onto Kisame's arm.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to bring him up…" Melody said to Kisame and I heard Itachi gasp, "Suine's important to me; she's my sister, my best friend…" Melody paused and Kisame looked to her, "I'm…worried that she will get hurt again…Her heart can only take so much more pain…"

"I know…" Kisame responded and Melody smiled lightly, "Try her cell one more time."

I hid behind the wall again and looked to see Itachi with a sad look on his face. I was forced to ignore it by my phone going off again. I looked at my phone and saw that Melody was calling me. I sighed and answered it.

"Hey Melody…" My voice began, "Sorry I didn't call; I just got out of Itachi's house now-"

"Where have you been!" Melody's voice screamed out, causing Itachi to turn to me, "I have been trying to call you for the past 45 minutes! Do you have any idea what you have done to me!? Kisame and I have been worried sick!" Melody paused, "Ok…What happened? Did he hurt you! If he did I will march down to his house and kick his ass, you know I will,-"

"Melody calm down." I chuckled, "I'm fine. Nothing happened. There were a couple of glares but that was it." Itachi gave me a weird look but I ignored it, "No need to worry, I'm actual close to being home."

"You are!" Melody sounded relieved, "Okay, we will meet you in our apartment. Just promise to tell me everything."

"I promise."

"See you soon."

Melody hung up and I quickly turned to Itachi. Itachi opened his mouth to say something but then quickly shut it. The silence was beginning to grow again but I ignored it for we had little time to think about it.

"We have to go through the back door. Then we can sneak you into my apartment. I'll let you have the office…Melody doesn't go in there anyways." I told him and he nodded.

"Melody…" Kisame's voice reached my ear, "Before we go…"

I turned back to the scene that played behind the corner; peeking my head from behind the wall. I felt Itachi's presence behind me, he too was watching the scene. Kisame held Melody's hand, stopping her from going into the building. She turned around to him and his look made her cheeks turn red.

"Kis-Kisame-san…"Melody stuttered, unlike her usual blunt self, "W-What…What are you meaning-"

"What do you think I mean?" Kisame pulled her into his arms, which made both Itachi and I gasp, "I want to hold you, even for a second…"

"But…But Kisame-san what if Suine sees-"

"I know her heart is upset about Itachi but don't you think that maybe her finally seeing us together will bring her some sort of happiness?"

"I don't think so…" Melody began, "She would be heartbroken…"

"Melody…Just let me kiss you…Just once." Kisame told her and she sighed but in a teasing way.

"Well; if you must…"

Kisame pulled Melody in closer and kissed her right on the lips. My eyes widened and I felt my mind just blank. When did they start to like each other? Had I been so blinded by my pain to not even see their happiness? Had I really been dragging them both down with me? I felt a hand go upon mine and pull me back against the wall. I looked to Itachi as he began to pull me towards the back of the building.

"Itachi?" My voice asked him.

"You said you needed to sneak me in right? So take me to the back of the building while Melody is distracted…" Itachi replied but I could hear the tinge of sadness within his voice.

"Okay…"

I took him to the back of the building and opened the back door with the key to the apartment complex. I made Itachi follow me up the stairs to the fifth floor, cautiously checking the hallway to make sure Melody wasn't there. The moment I opened the door; I heard the elevator door open. I almost freaked out but I pushed Itachi into the apartment and I followed suit. I locked the door behind us to give us some more time.

I grabbed Itachi's hand and brought him to the office. I opened the door and he entered it without even saying a word.

"Itachi…" I whispered and he turned to me, "Stay here okay? I'll talk to them about it and I'll get through to them. Just stay quiet."

He nodded and turned around, heading into the office. I lightly shut the door behind him and quickly ran over to the sink to act like I was doing something. I heard a key get put into the lock of the door and I felt my body freeze up in anticipation. Melody and Kisame walked through the door, laughing about something. They both froze the moment they saw me at the sink.

"Suine! W-When did you get here?" Melody asked, "We were at the front-"

"I came through the back…" I told her, "I…I just felt like coming through the back door…"

"Why? You never go back there, you hate it. You always tell me how disgusting it is-"

"I just wanted to go through the back okay?"

"Suine…did something happen?"

"W-What?" I paused and I turned to Melody and saw her intense eyes searching me to find the answer, "Nothing happened. I told you…I went there and Itachi…"

I really was going to tell them the truth. My throat tightened, my palms got sweaty. Would they be angry at me that I brought him home or that I even offered the house to him? How would Kisame take it? Would they even want to talk to me again? My heart began to race and I began to breathe heavily. I really was going to tell them but I was so afraid about how they would take it. They both hate him now; would they hate me for bringing him here? I don't want to feel like I did something wrong.

"He…took the money." My throat let out; ignoring my mind to tell them the truth.

"Suine…Why are you so nervous? Tell us what actually happened…" Melody began and my eyes widened. She could always read me. My mind just told my mouth to tell her everything I witnessed; they wouldn't be too angry right? But my heart suddenly won the battle and my mouth obeyed it instead.

"I saw you kiss Kisame…" I told them and they both gasped. That was how my heart wanted to get out of this situation, "That's why I'm nervous…" I'm so screwed.

"What!" Melody turned bright red and turned to Kisame whose eyes widened, "I told you!"

"How was I supposed to know she was right there!?" Kisame yelled back I knew right then and there that they had been hiding this for a while now. They were a couple.

"I'm so sorry Suine!"

"Why are you sorry?"

"You know exactly why!"

"Guys stop…" I told them and they turned to me, "I don't care that you guys are together…I'm actually happy for the both of you."

"See!?" Kisame told Melody who just scoffed.

"Though I understand why you hid it…I am a bit hurt you felt that you couldn't trust me with this Melody." I told her and she looked down.

"It's not that, dear…" Melody came up and put a hand onto my shoulder, "I am worried that you would be heartbroken…I know you are going through a tough time…I was just trying to protect you…But I'm sorry that I didn't tell you."

Tears began to well up into her eyes as she looked down to me. I smiled lightly and I put my arms around her. I couldn't thank her enough for wanting to protect me; she was the best friend I have ever had. But my heart wavered; I had lied to her and Kisame about Itachi. I was too afraid, too worried that they might get angry at me. They would be disappointed in me. That made me freeze up and hide the truth. I had no idea how I was going to be able to tell them about Itachi, but for now it's better that it's a secret. Melody put her arms around me to hug me back.

"I forgive you…I'm happy I have a bigger sister to look out for me." I told her and I heard her sob, "Thank you…Thank you both for everything."

"Anytime Suine…" Kisame smiled and I let Melody go, "Well it is getting late and we have school tomorrow…I will go home and I'll pick you guys up for tomorrow."

Melody turned to him and he gave her a light kiss on the forehead. He waved goodbye to me and then left our apartment. Melody blinked her eyes and her face turned bright red. I chuckled a bit and she smiled at me.

"He's right it is late. We should both get our rest." Melody told me and I nodded, "See you tomorrow."

She went down the hallway and I waited in the kitchen until I heard her enter her room. I quietly walked over to the office. I opened the door and saw Itachi sitting on his duffle bag. He turned lightly to me and I sighed.

"I…" I began but he turned away from me.

"You didn't tell them about what happened, did you?" He asked and I shook my head.

"I'm sorry it's…I…froze…" I tried to explain but he refused to look at me, "I promise I will-"

"Whatever." He bluntly said making my heart hurt, "Look…I'm going to go. I think-"

"No don't go!" I went up to him and he stood up.

"I don't want to be somewhere where I am nothing but a hated person. I understand that I've hurt you all. I don't want to stay here…" He began and my eyes widened, "I just want to be alone…"

"Itachi-kun…" My hand went to touch his arm but he quickly moved away, "Where are you going to go?"

"I don't know, somewhere…"

"You don't have any money-"

"So I'll sleep on the streets-"

"Just…Just stay the night…Please…" I looked down, "Just tonight. It's too late to go out and try to find a place…"

He looked down and I knew that I should have told Kisame and Melody. Perhaps he wouldn't have felt this way. But then again it might have been worse. Kisame would have hated him more. This whole situation is all complicated.

"One night…" He told me and I looked up to him, "That's it."

"Good." I tried to smile but it failed.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" He asked and I looked around to see no bed in the office. He couldn't sleep on the couch, Melody or Kisame might find him.

"Follow me."

I opened the door to the office and he went out. I went down the hallway, quietly, and showed him to my bedroom. He went in and I quietly followed him. He looked to me and I sighed.

"Your room?" He asked and I nodded.

"I'm not going to let you sleep on the floor. You can sleep on my bed…" I felt my cheeks warm up, "But only this once…" I told him and he turned away, still with the same sadness in his eyes.

He dropped his duffle bag on the floor beside my bed. He turned to me as he took off his jacket.

"Um…Can I change?" He asked and I nodded, quickly getting out of the room so he could have some sort of time to himself. What was I doing? Having a boy in my room? If Melody saw this she would freak out!

"You're good…" Itachi whispered through the door and I went in. I refused to change; I wanted to keep my long clothes on.

I looked to Itachi and saw that he changed into a black t-shirt and black long pajama pants. I went onto my bed and I gave Itachi a pillow. I told him to sleep at the other end of the bed, at least that way he wouldn't be right up against me. He did what I said without a word and eventually laid down to go to sleep. I closed my eyes the moment I felt safe but my heart continued to race. What was I going to do?

. . .

"Suine!" A knock on my door began, "Get up!" My eyes slowly began to open and my blurred vision looked around the room, "I'm coming in!"

I jumped out of my skin as did Itachi. He looked to me and I quickly ran out of my bed, running to the door that slowly began to creak open. I grabbed it and shut it. I heard two voices from the other side of the door.

"Is Kisame with you?" I asked Melody through the door, "Jeez, give me some time okay? I don't want Kisame seeing me sleeping!"

"He wasn't going to come in. He just came to see if you were up yet…" Melody told me and I put my back up against the door.

Itachi looked to me and I sighed. He came up to me and I watched him closely.

"Suine…" Itachi whispered lightly, "I have to go out there. I need to leave now."

"I know you do! Don't you think I know that?" I whispered back to him, "But you have to wait!"

"They are going to wait forever for you to get out…I swear it's like they are your parents."

"Is there a boy there with you!?" I heard Melody's voice begin, "Open this door right now Suine!"

"Fuck…" Itachi whispered and suddenly I felt a knock on the door.

"I know that voice!" Kisame's voice rose up, "Open this fucking door, Suine!"

"I don't know what you're talking about-" I tried to console them but suddenly a large force pushed on the door which pushed me off of it.

Before I had any time to stop the door, it flew open. Itachi and I froze the moment Kisame and Melody saw him. Kisame's angry face stared at Itachi as Melody angrily looked to me.

"I thought you said nothing happened!?" Melody ran up to me, "You brought him home!? What did he do to you!?"

"Nothing-" I tried to say but Kisame quickly ran up to Itachi, grabbing him and pushing him up against the wall where his feet couldn't touch the floor, "Stop!"

"What did you do to her!?" Kisame angrily spat in his face and he looked fearfully into Kisame's eyes, "I swear if you think you can just have your way with her-"

"I didn't do anything to her!" Itachi tried to explain but Kisame would have none of it.

"Bullshit!"

"Suine!" Itachi turned to me and I froze, "Tell them!"

"But…But…" I tried to find a way out of it.

"They won't even hate you!" Itachi told me, "Just tell them!"

"Put him down!" I yelled at Kisame who froze at my angered voice, "Put him down right fucking now!"

Kisame looked at me softly and angrily turned back to Itachi. He lightly put Itachi on the ground, pushing him into the wall as he let him go. Kisame stood right in front of Itachi, making sure he couldn't go anywhere. I sighed and Melody desperately looked at me for an explanation.

"When I went to Itachi's house, I witnessed Itachi arguing with his father…It turns out that his father hated what Itachi was doing to stop his company from tearing down all the houses in this neighbourhood and he hated Itachi hanging with us…" I paused and they began to absorb the information, "So he paid Yuka's family and asked Yuka to play with him, to make him change his mind about everything. He even went as far as making false evidence to prove to Itachi that we were somehow just his friends for the money and popularity. Then after that conversation, Itachi told him he would never change his mind about the project so his father kicked him out. I couldn't just let him stay out on the street so I…I…"

"Offered our house to him!?" Melody, still angry, asked me and I nodded, "I can't believe you! How could you be so insensitive to our feelings-"

"It's…I couldn't…let him live out on the street…" I tried to tell them but I knew that they were both hurt.

"So you believed your father over us?" Kisame turned to Itachi whose eyes widened, "How pathetic can you get? We have been nothing but loyal to you."

"I know…" Itachi sadly stated.

"No you don't know! My best friend-" He began and Itachi knew where he was going with this, "Would have been there for me when I needed it! My best friend would have known that I would never think about betraying him!"

"I can't make excuses…"

"Damn straight you can't!"

"Please…" I started up and they both turned to me, "Let him stay here."

"Oh and where would you have him stay? In your bed?" Melody angrily asked as she put her hands on her waist, "I thought you were going to get closure!"

"…We can sell the office stuff and make a guest room…" I ignored her last comment, "It's not like we use it anyways…"

Melody angrily looked to Kisame who shared her distain. Kisame gritted his teeth and silently walked out of the room, not saying a word to any of us. Melody knew his answer from what he did. I looked down and she sighed.

"Fine…But don't expect us to be happy about it." Melody finished our conversation and stormed out of my room.

I felt my heart break the moment they yelled at me. They hated my decision yet they allowed him to stay. However, as I turned to Itachi I knew my pain was nothing. His eyes stayed widened in pain as his body slid down the wall, crouching down on his knees. He gripped his head and I swore I saw tears come off his face. But I couldn't comfort him; this time I couldn't. The tears streamed down my face, everything was broken.


	11. Chapter 11

_Itachi's Darkness_

_~Kisame's POV~_

It had been two weeks since that incident at Suine and Melody's apartment. I am still furious about it to this day. I had never felt more hurt and betrayed than at that moment. Not just from Itachi but from Suine as well. I never thought she would go so far. Yet, I knew the reasoning behind it; my heart was just too bitter to accept it. It just needed time. I can't say for sure but perhaps one day things will be normal but as of now, I don't see that happening.

After that day, we sold all the stuff in the office and made a guest room with two beds in it, across from each other, up against a wall. It was simple, all Itachi needed. But as it turned out, I decided-well Melody and me, along with Suine who probably felt pressure to say yes because she knew we were pissed at her-to move in as well. I sold my apartment and was able to stay there in the same guest room as Itachi. Not my choice but I knew that Melody was not even ready to have me stay in her bed at night, so I decided I'd deal. Plus, this gives me a better chance to keep Itachi away from Suine.

Itachi and I are supposed to help out with the rent. I don't mind and since there are four people living with me; the rent is significantly cheaper. I actually get money to keep for spending, or basically for Melody. I do not know if Itachi has a job but I would suspect that he does, since he actually pays the part of rent he is supposed to.

Now, Itachi has been an interesting case. The first night I slept in the same room as him, he told me he was sorry. I didn't say anything to him and kept my back turned. I could hear him crying the rest of the night. But that was the only time I heard him cry in the two weeks. After that, I'm not quite sure what happened to him.

Itachi is barley home; he worries Suine like hell, though she will never tell anyone about it. I never see him anymore besides at night. He leaves earlier than us for school, I guess to refuse to see us. Then after school he's gone, he's never home. I don't know where he goes but I get the feeling it isn't somewhere good. He comes home late, usually at midnight and sometimes not in the greatest conditions. I remember doing homework in the kitchen while Suine and Melody were asleep. Itachi walked through the door and I turned away to make sure I didn't give him the satisfaction of it. But I quickly turned back because he tripped and fell face first onto the ground. My eyes widened as he wobbled to get up, his knees shaking like hell and a worried look on his face. But he wore sunglasses so I couldn't see his eyes. He then wobbled to the guest room and went in; where I didn't see him until at school the next day.

Not to mention that at school, he has been weird too. Itachi has been avoiding us, though I don't blame him. He eats outside; avoiding any chance of us meeting each other in the cafeteria. In class, he sleeps, which is unlike him. He usually loves school and learning but it seems like it's just a burden to him now. The teacher-Kakashi-sensei- even asked me what was wrong with him; it turned out he had flunked two tests and was now failing the course, which he knew was wrong. He knew Itachi understood the question; he purposely gave the wrong answers. Even my hatred can be boiled over and now instead of hating him I'm starting to worry.

Even his wardrobe has changed. Even though it is winter out, he wears really warm clothes inside. Every day he adds a new layer to clothing. First it was his sunglasses, then a black scarf, and then it was leather gloves. He wore this every day at school, every day at home. He made sure that every part of his skin was covered up. I know he's hiding something but I cannot be sure of what.

Suine and Melody sat on the stools in front of me, at the kitchen island. Suine looked at me curiously as I told her this information. I did not know how she would feel after I felt curious about Itachi and what was wrong with him.

"So what do you plan we do?" Melody asked and I turned to her.

"Well for starters, I saw we let up on him…" I expressed my feelings, "But more importantly we confront him and figure out what is going on."

"But how do we confront him?" Suine asked, "The only times he is home is right after school and then at midnight…"

"We get him right after school. We need to skip our last period class." I suggested.

"What!?" Suine freaked out, "But I…I need those marks-"

"Is anything serious happening in your class?"

"Well…no."

"Then you can skip it."

"…O-Okay…But just for Itachi-kun…"

We all nodded at the plan and I began to discuss what I wanted to do. We would all skip last period to beat him home. Then we would put a dresser; which normally he should be able to push, in front of the guest room. If he doesn't push it or can't then I will know that something is wrong. But if he can push it; we will just confront him and ask. Either way we will trap him within this house.

. . .

The time came; we were all hiding on the balcony the moment Itachi came through the door. He began to limp towards the guest room and my eyes widened. We all watched closely as he saw the door. His blank eyes stared at the dresser that was in his way. He looked exhausted; totally drained. He put his left hand on the dresser but then cringed. He then switched hands and began to try to push the dresser out of his way but with no success. I knew it, something was wrong.

I went into the room, without Melody and Suine and Itachi quickly collected himself. I stared at him and he just sighed.

"Why did you put the dresser here?" He asked, already knowing my plan.

"Okay so you haven't gotten stupid; your marks are just dropping because you want them to…" I began and his mouth opened in shock, "Having problems moving that?"

"No." He breathed in heavily, "Just…just…" He coughed lightly, "Move it."

"Why should I?"

"Because it's your room too…"

"I don't care about going in there…"

"Look…I have plans, so I'm gonna go-"

"No you aren't." I told him as he looked away, "Take off the sunglasses."

"W-Why?" He coughed again, "I don't see why I should."

"You used to think it was silly to wear them around your friends."

"And where do you see them?" He asked and my eyes widened, "Are they here somewhere?" I began to smell something terrible but it was familiar, "I don't see them anywhere. They must have left me…right, that's what happened. They left me."

"And why is that?" I continued trying to figure out what that strong smell was.

"Oh I deserved it trust me…But you know I like it better alone…" He coughed again, a bit more severe this time, "It doesn't matter. You are not my friend so I shouldn't even be talking to you…"

"Is that…" I finally knew what that similar smell was; it was all over my father, "Alcohol on your breath?"

"W-What?"

"Have you been drinking?"

"Tch…" He looked up at me, "What do you care if I was…You're not in any position to tell me what to do."

"You hate alcohol."

"So." He coughed, "Who cares. I can drink it if I want to."

"Is that where you go every night?"

"I don't have to tell you shit…" He coughed again and I began to get more worried, "Just leave me alone…That's what you want to do anyways right? I don't…I don't see why you are asking me these questions…"

"Because I'm worried."

"Oh you are…" He chuckled and then coughed again, "Funny…" His head rolled, was he drunk?

"Itachi…take off the sunglasses…"

"Why? So I wear my sunglasses at night; who cares…"

"Take them off!"

"Why!"

"Just do it!"

Itachi huffed out some anger and then quickly breathed in air. I knew that Suine and Melody watched as the scene played out. I couldn't get my mind off of what was wrong with him. Now he's drinking and by the looks of it, way too much. Plus, the coughing is setting off some red flags. Itachi looked at me again as I crossed my arms. He took off the sunglasses and threw them at my chest, but of course it didn't hurt. My eyes widened at the sight of his face. He had a black right eye that had swollen up pretty badly. He had a scratch on his left eyebrow. He was hurt?

"There you happy now!?" He yelled at me and I felt terribly saddened by his depressed look in his eyes. That depression was only made worse by drinking his alcohol, "Is this what you wanted! Is this enough for you!? Or are you wanting to see more?"

"There's more!?" My voice began, as I felt the tears well up in my eyes.

Itachi angrily began to throw off some other things. He threw off his scarf to show his neck scratched and bruised. His gloves revealed that his hands were cut deep and his left hand was terribly bruised. He took off his school jacket to show his white buttoned down shirt torn up with cuts. There was a scar on every cut in the shirt and bruises were so purple that they could be seen through the shirt. He threw off his shoes and winced in pain once he did. He gripped the dresser for support as he put the pressure off of his right foot. It was either twisted or broken. The tears fell out of my eyes as he closed his eyes in pain.

"Who…Who did this to you…" I asked and he looked to me.

"I can't fucking tell you!" Itachi screamed at me, "Because I'm too easy to blackmail!"

"Someone at school?"

"Of course it's someone at school!"

Itachi began to cough violently, bringing him to fall onto his knees. I quickly ran down to him and put a hand upon his back. He put his hand up to his mouth in order to cover it. He seemed in so much pain and it was my entire fault. If I had been there, if I had taken him in rather than push him away, none of this would have happened. What right did I have to be so angry at him? Nothing, nothing can explain why I pushed him away when he needed me the most.

Sweat came down his forehead as the coughing had ceased. He breathed out heavily as he moved his hand away from his face. A pool of blood laid there in his hand from his coughing. His eye widened and I quickly put a hand to his forehead. It was piping hot; he had a really high fever. He was sick. Not only had he been hurt but now he was so sick that he was coughing up blood.

"Suine!" I yelled but Melody answered.

"Suine's hysterical right now; I'm calling Mira." Melody began, "I'll drive, we need to go to the hospital. Come on; pick up….pick up…" Melody continued.

"Itachi…san…" I cried even more and he turned to me with tired eyes, "Why…Why didn't you tell me…"

"…You hated me…" He told me, "Why…would you have cared…"

"I was pissed…but I never stopped caring…" His eye widened as I began to sob, "I was angry because I cared…I failed you…I am so sorry…"

"…Kisame…san…" His voice began, "You…are here…now…that's all I wanted…that's all…I…"

His eye rolled into the back of his head and he fell unconscious. I caught him in my arms and began to cry even more. Was he going to be okay? My tears streamed off of my cheeks and onto his face.

"Itachi!" I screamed my heart out.

. . .

I paced outside of the ER room. Suine was curled up into a ball on a chair and Melody hugged her, trying to calm her down. But even she felt scared for Itachi. How could I do this to him? If I had just been there; he wouldn't have been here, he wouldn't have been in critical condition. I was shaking violently; if I had kept to my word this wouldn't have happened.

"Um…Mr. Hoshikage…" A voice said and I quickly turned around to see a doctor with a clipboard behind me. I ran up to him and he nodded, "Your friend is safe."

"Oh thank god!" I let out and the doctor smiled, "How is he? Can I go see him?"

"Yes…I know that usually it should be a parent I am telling this to, but after hearing what happened to him with his family, I will expect you to be the caregiver."

"Yes! I will do everything you ask me to! I will do everything that is needed to make him safe again!"

"I thought so…" The doctor smiled, "Before I let you go in; I must tell you what it is that happened to him. Itachi has been, over the course of about two weeks, consuming large amounts of alcohol, which you explained you were not a part of. This made his immune system fail; making him more vulnerable to infections and viruses. That is why he was affected with this temporary disease. Now his cuts and bruises should heal up nicely; however his ankle was broken and he must be off of it for 6-8 weeks. I would suggest bringing him in at the 6 week mark. I will suggest a few therapy classes just to help him ease back into use of the ankle, but I would suggest after two weeks that you help him try to use his ankle more.

"Now, the infection or disease he caught was pneumonia. Not a pleasant disease but for him it will be fine. Since he was in a healthy state before all of this happened his body will have a quick recovery. This of course besides the one year of smoking; which we took a look at to see if it was what caused it and it did have a little push to it but it came more a less due to infection. Now this will take 2-3 weeks to get over for someone like Itachi. If it persists come see me right away. I would suggest treating this at home since there is no need for it to be done at the hospital; it is not that severe. I will prescribe the antibiotic: amoxicillin, this should help kill of the bacteria that started the pneumonia in the first place. Make sure he has a good warm place to sleep and make him drink lots of water. Buy some Advil as well in order to get rid of his fevers and headaches. He may get tired after the infection clears up and the symptoms should go away after 3 days. If not come see me. But besides these two things it looks like Itachi will be fine and have a speedy recovery." The doctor finished and I felt the tears come down my face.

The doctor then allowed me; only me since I was given the job as the caregiver, to go see him. Suine and Melody would have to wait. He led me to a hospital room and opened the door for me. I walked in and the doctor shut the door. I almost cried the moment I saw him. He was lying in his bed; with the bed curved up a bit so that his entire torso could be shown. After his torso was a white blanket. He had bandages all over his body. His entire torso was covered along with the majority of his arms and hands. He had bandages wrapped around his neck and even bandages wrapped around the right side of his head in order to cover his black eye. Around his mouth was an oxygen mask, which helped him to breathe easier.

I grabbed a stool in the corner and brought it up to Itachi's bedside. I quietly put my hand on top of his; this is entirely my fault. I have no one else to blame but myself. The tears came down my face and I put my head down onto the bed.

"Itachi…" I cried as I remembered what I had promised him a while back; right when I met him.

"Why you so depressed Itachi-san?" I asked him and he turned to me with emotionless eyes, "Is it because of that Yuka chick?"

"Of course it's because of her!" He barked back as the tears rolled off of his face, "Just leave me alone Kisame…I'd rather be alone."

"Hey don't let her get you down; you've got so much to live for. You are a smart guy! You are super nice and have a caring heart towards others! In my books and in everyone else's that places you at the top!" I smiled and he turned to back to me, "Come on." I held a hand out to him, "Let me show you a world that won't turn its back on you okay?"

"How…Where is a world like that?"

"Right here!" I started and his eyes widened, "I promise; from this day forward, to make sure that you find a world that will always be by your side. No matter how dark the tunnel gets, no matter how hopeless it seems…I will always be there to show you that you are just being retarded!" I chuckled, "I will be there even in the darkest times and I promise you that I will make sure you will never have to experience something like this darkness again!"

"Why? Why would you promise me that?"

"Because you did that to me." His eyes widened, "You were the first person to treat me like a normal human being; to make me feel like I was important in the world. You smiled at me; you made me your friend. You saved me from my darkness; and I can never thank you enough for that Itachi-san. So I promise that I will make sure that darkness is a thing of your past!"

Tears welled up in his eyes and fell over. I smiled as his hand grabbed a hold of mine. I pulled him off of that ground and I swore that I would never leave him. Never would I abandon him.

"I failed you…" I began with my head digging into the bed, "I swore on that day that I would do what you did for me but instead I left you in the darkness because I was bitter…I was too bitter to see your pain…to see how you got sucked back into that darkness…I don't know if you could ever forgive me. I allowed you to believe that I would never leave, that the world was there for you; that we would never disappear…But I tore that idea out of your head and now you are going to think that no one will ever care for you again…" I paused, "I'm so sorry, Itachi-san…You have every right to hate me, to detest me…I broke my promise and I have no right to be your friend…I don't even have a right to be called your acquaintance…But I swear…that even if you hate me…even if you can't stand the sight of me…I will be there, behind you every step of the way…I will protect you…I will do everything possible and I will not fail this time around…I will not fail you, Itachi-san…"

I cried, no I sobbed, into the bed. Before my mind had any time to hate myself for my mistakes I felt a light tap on my head. My eyes widened and I looked up to Itachi. His eyes were open, tears running down his cheeks. A smile was on his face and his other hand moved the oxygen mask away from his mouth. The hand I thought I had mine on was now lightly over my head.

"I…Idiot…" Itachi said, just like Suine used to do to him, "Do…Don't hate…yourself…Kisame-san…" He paused, "I never hated you…I hated myself for causing the bitterness in you…I had the world, I had people who loved me and I messed up…That's why…I drank…that's why I allowed the Student…Council to…beat me…"

"They did this to you!?" I angrily said and he nodded.

"But…I never hated you…" Itachi continued, "You never failed me, Kisame-san…You were…You are my…best friend…"

I smiled as the tears continued down my face. Even though I broke my promise; he still forgave me for the faults I did against him. I could never thank him enough for that. But I knew that from this day on I was going to protect him more than before, he was a precious person to me and I wasn't going to lose that. And I knew that I was going to kick those Student Council bastards ass for even thinking about doing this to Itachi.


	12. Chapter 12

_Back to Normal?_

_~Suine's POV~ _

"Look, Kana, I know that he looks bad on his resume but I promise you, no I swear to you that it is all lies." I began and her eyes widened, "His father is trying to force him back into his house by keeping him away from having a productive life without him. So he messed up his resume in order to keep him away from a job. But I promise you that it is all lies…He is an honest man, a hard-working boy…"

"You know that I will be taking a big risk if you let me down about this guy right?" Kana warned me and I quickly shook my head, acknowledging the risk.

"I'm telling you the truth; he is not what that resume says and I promise you that you will love him as a worker!" I smiled and she huffed out some air.

"Okay…I'll put my trust into you. You have never led me astray before so I believe you." Kana sighed and I began to happily jump up and down, "Alright he has a job but if he fails it's on you."

"Oh thank you Kana! I promise you, you will not regret this!"

I quickly walked out of the office, bowing lightly to Kana. Itachi paced around the front door of the office with this nervous look on his face. He saw me and went up to me. I smiled and his eyes widened.

"I got it?" He asked as I nodded, "You…got me a job!" I swear I saw tears well up in his eyes.

I nodded once and he smiled. He put his arms around my waist, making my eyes widen. He lightly picked me up and held me close, twirling me around in happiness. My cheeks reddened but I smiled past the embarrassment. He put me down and I whacked him over the head.

"Idiot!" I told him but he didn't care.

"Thank you so much Suine. I can't believe you were able to get me this job. I have been trying for so long I thought it was impossible to get a job." He paused and I smiled, "Thank you…"

"Of course Itachi-kun…" I replied and he lightly grabbed my hand.

"Now there is just one more stop to make!"

"What? Where? Why?"

"Come on Suine, I told you that there were a couple places I wanted to go to today. Remember I'm getting a new makeover!"

"You sound like a female…"

He rolled his eyes and began to pull me out of the store. It had been past the 6 weeks that the doctor said Itachi would need to recover; needless to say he was well and more active than ever. But I guess I can see why. He was finally able to use his legs freely again, without the help of any crutches. He had been happier now; everyone had forgiven him for his mistakes, even Melody. Kisame had been more protective of him now; he even went as far as to get revenge for him by kicking the Student Council's ass. Everyone was shocked at how he was able to beat them up. It was like he had strength that had never been seen before. Either way he made his statement clear; no one is allowed to harm Itachi again. Itachi and I had been getting along just like we used to, my heart always seemed to stop when he looked me straight in the eyes.

Speaking of couples, Melody and Kisame have been crazy for each other. I swear nothing can separate them and I am happy that Melody found someone who will mean the world to her. Who will mean more to her than me. Our family seems to get bigger but now it seems complete. With Itachi and Kisame, I know that we will stand strong as a family, unlike the ones we are 'supposed' to turn to. We will always be there for each other and never turn our backs on one another, at least not again. We are stronger than we were before this incident.

We had asked Itachi where he got the money for the alcohol and rent if he didn't have a job. Turns out he sold a watch that he got from his servants on Christmas. They had loved him so much for his generosity and always giving them something to look forward to work for. So they secretly bought him a watch in return and he cherished it but he had to sell it in order to keep everything a secret from us. Kisame, Melody and I, then searched for that watch and eventually found the one he sold and bought it for his Christmas present, which was a couple weeks ago. He cried and cried for the rest of the day, but he was so happy. I was happy to be able to make him happy again after his terrible experiences.

Yuka had respected Itachi's threat and stayed away from the both of us for good now. She doesn't even try to look over at us at school now. Sasuke on the other hand has visited us once or twice to check up on his brother, especially while he was hurt. But at school, Sasuke keeps his distance as he has just joined the Student Council. As much as it hurts to know that he has changed sides, Itachi keeps a hope that this experience will allow him to realize that he must come back to us and his old friends. Itachi says that it is time for Sasuke to choose his own path, even if that means he stays with Karin and goes to the Student Council.

Itachi pulled me into a hair salon and my eyes widened. He lightly put me onto a chair in the waiting area and told me to wait there. I watched him go up to a desk, where the secretary then pulled him away from the desk and into a faraway booth where he would get something done. However, I knew he purposely put himself away from me in order to keep it a surprise. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention towards a television that had the news on.

"While talking to the Uchiha Company's manager, Fugaku Uchiha-" The news reporter began and my eyes widened, "About his recent project that was supposed to be released today, we learnt that some council members were wanting to hold a debate over it. It makes one wonder if this so called 'magnificent' idea is really all that great. Though we were unable to get any other information concerning this somewhat mysterious project, we were able to learn things about the whereabouts of his son, Itachi Uchiha, who has been missing from the scene of the Company for months now. We were able to find this testimony from his father."

"My son…" Fugaku, or Itachi's father, came up onto the screen which made me get angry, "Itachi is a delinquent. He has been for the majority of his life; just ask any of the people at his school. He does not care for the well-being of this company nor his family. He has run off, breaking the heart of his dear mother and younger brother…Leaving not a note or any indication that he will be coming back."

"But with all your power you must be able to track him down." The reporter asked and Fugaku looked to her.

"He knows of my sources and is able to hide from us…If anyone has any information about his whereabouts that would be most helpful. We truly miss him and wish that he comes home soon."

"It is weird that you have not sent up any missing reports for him-"

"If my men cannot find him, which includes the police, then I am afraid there is no need for such reports."

"I have some sources that tell me that your son is staying in an apartment complex in the downtown area. Our sources say that he is staying with some school mates of his. If this comes to any help to your search."

"I will gladly look into it, thank you so much for this information. You have brought my family great happiness."

"Bullshit…" I muttered underneath my breath and looked away from the television which had moved onto another story in the news.

Just as I turned away, I saw Itachi standing right beside me. He stared up at the television screen with hurtful eyes and I looked down. However, he simply smiled and turned back to me. My eyes noticed his hair and I felt my cheeks burn up. He had cut it short now, it ended at the end of his neck. His bangs were cut to end right at his cheeks.

"So what do you think?" He asked as he helped me up off the chair, "Do you like it?"

"W-Wh…Why do you ask me…It doesn't matter if I like it." I tried to get the attention of me but somehow I knew that wasn't going to happen.

"I care about what you think though, Suine…" A cute sad look came upon his face, "I've always cared…"

"I…" My face felt hotter and I whacked him over the head, "Idiot!"

"I…" Itachi laughed and a huge smile came upon his face, "I'll take that as you do." His eyes softened as he stared into my eyes, making my heart skip a beat.

"Itachi-kun…"

He lightly grabbed a hold of my hand again and took me out of the hair salon. I felt my cheeks burn up even more when I felt my hand in his. I loved him, it was obvious that I did; even after everything that had happened. But there was no way that I would be able to tell him. Besides, he was just starting to get his life in order; he doesn't need something that would disrupt that order. Itachi stopped pulling me the moment we had made it back to our apartments front doors. He let my hand go and immediately I could feel the cold begin to seep in and take over my hand.

"Itachi! Itachi Uchiha!" A voice yelled at us and we both turned behind us to see three different reporters with tons of camera crews and photographers with them. My eyes widened and I felt Itachi put his hand upon my shoulder, "There you are! May we have a word with you?"

"Huh!?" Itachi angrily went in front of me, pushing his arm out to protect me from the camera lights, "How did you guys find me? Hasn't my father learned to stay away?"

"We are not here on your father's behalf Itachi-" The one reporter began, "We would like to ask you a few questions about why you ran away…and who that girl is-"

"Leave me alone!" Itachi told them off, "Leave us alone! There is nothing that I will tell you! So back off and go away."

"But it's just a few questions-"

"You guys always have to come into my life; please just leave us alone! I have done nothing so please go away…"

"Are you saying that your father is a liar than?"

"What?"

"He said you ran away yet you say that you have done nothing."

"You…" Itachi paused and I put my hand onto his arm, "You're just putting words into my mouth!"

"Itachi…Just stop talking, they won't listen…It's their job to continue to pry…" I told him.

"Are you insulting the press now?" One reporter bluntly asked me and Itachi then put his entire body in front of me.

"Leave her alone, she said no such thing." Itachi retorted, "Please-"

"Get off of my property!" I watched as someone walked in front of Itachi, shielding the both of us from the press, "Leave these kids alone, you hear? The cops are already on their way. Stop harassing my tenants!"

"But ma'am-" One reporter tried to say back but I watched as Mira would have none of it.

"Get off of my property right now or be escorted out by the police. Your choice!" Mira explained to them and they eventually scrambled off of the sidewalk and into their news vans.

"Thank you Mira…" Itachi sighed and Mira lightly turned to us with a bright warm smile on her face.

"Thank you for protecting Suine…It was very brave of you to stand up to the press like that. After all, they will somehow use it against you. I would prepare for the worst…" Mira sighed, "But…at least you got home safely, they are vultures…They could have found you anywhere…I guess your father is starting to act…"

"Well he shouldn't be…He banished me, remember?" Itachi told her and she nodded, "I don't understand why he would care so much…"

"What about that debate you are supposed to be in charge of?"

"That's not until a week before the last day of school…That is still a while away…"

"Then I am fresh out ideas…" Mira told him and he looked down in sadness. I put my hand into his, making him turn to me, "But no need to worry. Whatever it is; we will be here to protect you."

"Thank you Mira. You really are a blessing."

"Oh stop it…"

Mira chuckled and showed us back into the apartment complex. Itachi had seemed to calm down but I knew he felt it too. The sinking feeling that this was going to be something more than just one incident. Something bad was going to happen, and I knew that it was going to come soon.


	13. Chapter 13

_And Then He's Gone_

I felt the brown bag of groceries fall from my grips, the apples falling to the cold cement sidewalk. My heart rate increased and my breathing became heavy. Shisui was beside me, with the same devastated expression on his pale face. Did we really miss it? Were we already too late?

I felt my heart scream out his name, my voice acting as a release of its pain. My knees buckled the moment the tears had finally escaped my eyes. My voice yelled out for him once more; it was the only thing my heart could do to try to escape the pain. How could he do this to me again? How could he even think of breaking my heart again!? I felt a hand come upon my shoulder and I looked up at Shisui.

I never saw this coming. I never knew it would happen again. Just a week ago we were falling in love all over again but he just had to stop it. I never knew I was going to lose him for a second time. I didn't know how this was going to play out, I knew nothing. However, the one thing I did know was that I was never ever going to forgive him.

_A day earlier…_

I walked into the locker room at the café shop, finally excited to be done my shift for the day. I opened my locker, slowly grabbing my clothes and backpack that I left in here before the shift had started. I sighed, I was exhausted. It wasn't because of all the hard work I was putting into school and work but rather because I worried more than anything. Ever since those reporters found themselves at my doorstep I knew that something was not right. I could feel it within my stomach, turning and twisting. It was conjuring up something and I knew it wasn't good. It had always been on my mind, the constant fear that it wasn't all over. That Itachi was not entirely free from his father's grasps. That frightened me more than anything.

I sighed once more as I shut the locker and began to walk towards the entrance of the locker room. Before I had a chance to stop anything Itachi accidentally walked into the locker room, hitting me. I quickly grabbed his shirt to try to find support but instead we both tumbled to the ground. He fell on top of me, with his hands on either side of my face and his legs were right beside my waist. My eyes widened as did his.

"S-S…Suine?" Itachi asked and I felt my cheeks burn up quickly, "I'm so sorry…I…I didn't mean…I was just…"

"Coming into work?" I let out and he nodded. His cheeks burnt up and he turned away from my face, "You okay Itachi-kun?"

"I…It's just…" He paused and turned back to me, "Seeing…you like this…uh…"

"Oh…I um…" I felt my throat tighten and my heart beat race as his eyes found mine, "We…I'm so sorry…We uh…should move…"

"W-We…should…Shouldn't we?"

"Why…are you asking?"

"I…don't know…"

His eyes softened and I felt my heart stop at his stare. I watched as his head moved down a little, looking for some sort of reaction from me. I knew what he wanted to do and I wanted it to happen just as much as he did. I felt my mouth open a bit which was enough to make him come closer to me. My eyes began to close as his lips came closer to mine.

"Itachi! Where are you?" A voice came from the entrance of the locker room which made Itachi and I quickly pull back. His eyes widened as did mine, we were not expecting company, "Oh…I uh…"

"I…" Itachi regained his composure and quickly got off of me, standing above me, "Sorry Kana. I accidentally bumped into Suine; I'll get on the floor as soon as possible."

"T-Take your time." Kana replied and I still laid there shocked.

I watched as Itachi went to walk away but he turned his heel and came back to me. He held a hand out to me and I lightly grabbed it. He had a beautiful smile upon his face. I smiled back as he pulled me up to my feet.

"Sorry about that Suine." He told me lightly and then let go of my hand, "I'll see you around."

He left me with Kana and went deeper into the locker room to find his locker. I blinked my eyes a couple times and Kana went up beside me. She put a hand gently upon my shoulder, making me turn to her. She had a warm smile on her face with eyes that stared deeply into my soul.

"He likes you." Kana told me and I felt my face burn up again, "Really likes you. I wish a guy could like me as much as he likes you."

"How do you know that?" I bluntly asked.

"It's obvious isn't it? He always wants to be around you. And plus guys only turn around to help up a girl if it's the girl he loves."

"That's ridiculous…It-Itachi doesn't…"

"I know you are in denial but I can tell you. The way he looks at you…it's like you are the greatest thing he has found on earth. You mean the world to him."

"I…You really think so?"

"I think you two should just get together already. All this flirting around work is starting to annoy the customers."

"Wh-"

"It's a joke Suine…Just tell him how you feel."

"It's harder than it seems."

"Why?"

I stood there dumbfounded. Why? I had never even thought to question why I felt so nervous to bring it up with him. Now that Itachi was back to his normal self and everything was going good between us, I saw no reason to hold it back. Yet my throat tightened every time I thought about telling him. Why was I always so nervous?

"Oh I see…" Kana picked up right where she left off, "You find it hard to tell him…Don't worry I'm sure everything will work out between you two in the end…Anyways why don't you go home? You must be exhausted from this shift and I'm sure you will enjoy the break."

"Thanks Kana…" I smiled lightly to her and I left the locker room quietly.

. . .

"I'm home!" Itachi's voice said as he walked into the door to our apartment.

"Hey kid!" Kisame happily said but he then grabbed his jacket, "Unfortunately I have to go to work now but I have a plan. Why don't we all have a board game night when I get back?"

"A board game night?" Melody brightened up, "Oh hell ya!"

"Sounds fun Kisame-san, I'm in." Itachi told him and I nodded.

"Have fun at work Kisame-san!" I smiled and he nodded, and then left us alone in the apartment, "Well I want to be back in time for this board game night so I will go grocery shopping right now to get it over with."

"Oh, want me to come Suine?" Itachi asked and I shook my head.

"Get some rest Itachi-kun; you'll need it for tonight. Knowing Kisame and Melody we will be playing Monopoly till 4 in the morning."

"You're right." He chuckled, "Don't stay out too late though Suine. Take your phone just in case."

"You don't have to worry Itachi-kun…I'll be okay it's just groceries." I smiled and grabbed my phone on the table, "Oh…shit…"

"What is it?" Melody asked and I sighed.

"My phone died…You guys won't be able to call me…" I told them but Itachi came up to me with his now new flip cellphone, since his father got rid of his old expensive one.

"Here, take mine. At least we will be able to contact you if we get worried." He smiled brightly and I nodded.

"Thank you, Itachi-kun. I'll be back soon guys! Don't get into too much trouble!"

They both rolled their eyes at my comment and I quickly headed out of the door. It sure must be hard for Itachi to not have the same resources he used to have. He had to buy new things, old and crappy I might add, but at least they worked. However, I have to say I have never seen him smile so much. He seemed to be happier here in the poor life than in the rich life. Either way I was happy that he was back in my life. I sighed as I entered the grocery store and began to shop for the things we needed.

Thirty minutes later and I lined up in line for the cashier to ring me through. I watched as the old cashier slowly took her time, ringing through the two customers in front of me. I sighed impatiently as I watched the time slowly pass me by. Eventually, the cashier got to me and rung all the food through, allowing me to happily leave the store. However, something interrupted me from leaving the scene, something that made my heart sink.

"Itachi!" I heard a voice shriek out from the entrance of the store, "Itachi Uchiha! Where are you!? Itachi!"

"I know that voice…" I muttered to myself. I quickly ran over to the entrance and felt my eyes widen, "Shisui!?"

"Miss Suine!" Shisui came running over to me in his black suit, "Where is Itachi!? I need to talk to him right away-"

"He's at home."

"But…But I followed the tracker on his phone-"

"Tracker? He got a new phone-"

"I know…His father was still tracking him through that phone. I tried to beat his father to Itachi by following the tracker that he had installed into his new phone…"

"I…" I swallowed hard, scared to press on, "I have his phone-"

"Wait! Why!? Why do you have Master Itachi's phone-"

"Mine died. I was just going to get groceries. Shisui what is going on? What are you talking about, beating his father?"

"We have to get to your home, to where Itachi is…He's in danger-"

"Danger!?"

"Yes-"

"Let's go! Tell me while we head there!"

Together, Shisui and I ran out of the grocery store and headed down the street towards my apartment. I felt my eyes well up with tears, what did his father have planned for him? Why was Shisui so worried? Why couldn't they just leave Itachi alone?

"Miss Suine-" Shisui started as we continued to book it down the street, "His father…Itachi's father…He plans to lock Itachi away before the conference that is supposed to take place in three days…"

"That's his plan to get Itachi out of the way? I thought kicking him out-"

"It was. The plan was originally to have Itachi come crawling back in defeat but that didn't happen because he met-"

"Me…"

"Right. Since the press came to your apartment, Itachi's father knew that he wasn't coming back on his own free will. The project could still be stopped. But now he has to take drastic measures to get Itachi to stop from hurting his project. Without Itachi the conference will be cancelled and the project will go on as originally planned. We have to stop him from taking Itachi-"

"He's going to take him by force…That bastard!"

"I know Miss Suine, I-"

Before Shisui had time to continue Itachi's phone began to ring. I quickly grabbed it and looked at the screen, seeing that it was from Melody. I quickly flipped the phone out and began to listen to Melody's terrified voice.

"Melody!" I began but was interrupted by voices in the background.

"_Itachi Uchiha open up!"_ A loud voice screamed from the background and a loud banging noise followed, _"Come out quietly."_

"_Melody go hide, please I don't want them to hurt you_-" Itachi's voice came through quietly and tears came down my cheeks, _"Just hide."_

"_Suine!"_ Melody cried into the phone, _"I'm not leaving you Itachi! I have to help you-"_

"_You can't help me…These men, they always get the job done-"_

"_But what about you? What will happen to you?"_

"_I don't know but I can't bear to know that something will happen to you because of me…Please go hide…Can I talk to her?"_

"_Yeah…Yeah…"_

"_Open up! We are going to break the door down!"_ Another loud voice screamed through the phone.

"_Suine-"_ Itachi's voice began and I stopped running as my heart sank at the sound of his scared voice.

"Itachi-kun!" I screamed into the phone as I heard loud bangs again, "Itachi-kun! We are coming just hold off-"

"_Suine…I don't have a lot of time left…It's going to happen, they are going to take me…"_ He explained and the tears ran down my cheeks, _"I don't know what they are going to do to me…But you-"_

"I will save you no matter what it takes I promise…I promise you Itachi."

"_I know Suine…"_

"_Itachi Uchiha!"_ A loud voice screamed as a loud crash noise happened.

"_Thank you Suine…for everything…"_ I heard Itachi's voice tremble, _"I want you to know that I love-"_

"_Itachi Uchiha! You're coming with us!"_ A loud male voice screamed and I heard something drop.

"_Just try it."_ Itachi's voice fell distant and I heard more screaming and yelling.

"_Let him go you bastards!"_ I heard Melody's voice scream out and I heard a lot more struggling.

"Miss Suine we might be able to still save him." Shisui told me and I nodded to him in anger.

I shut the phone, not able to hear the pain of my friends anymore. I let my legs burst out into a sprint as we ran further down the street. As we turned the corner that leads me onto my street, I could hear voices getting louder and louder. I turned the corner and saw four men all dressed in black suits carrying Itachi by his limbs. Itachi struggled as hard as he could but with no luck. They threw him onto the ground, where he angrily looked up to them. I ignored the scene and followed Shisui who ran closer to them to try to stop them from taking him.

My eyes widened the moment they punched him in the stomach, making spit come out of his mouth. His body limped even more than before and they easily picked him up.

"Itachi, no!" I screamed out and his eyes turned to me. His weak hand stretched out to me.

"Suine!" He yelled back but they shoved him into the car and slammed the door on him.

Shisui was so close to the car but it was already too late. The men all got into the limousine and slammed the doors. Just as Shisui hit his fist against the trunk the limousine sped off down the street taking Itachi with it. My eyes widened and watched in horror as the limousine turned the corner. My heart let the shock settled in.

I felt the brown bag of groceries fall from my grips, the apples falling to the cold cement sidewalk. My heart rate increased and my breathing became heavy. Shisui was beside me, with the same devastated expression on his pale face. Did we really miss it? Were we already too late?

I felt my heart scream out his name, my voice acting as a release of its pain. My knees buckled the moment the tears had finally escaped my eyes. My voice yelled out for him once more; it was the only thing my heart could do to try to escape the pain. How could he do this to me again? How could he even think of breaking my heart again!? I felt a hand come upon my shoulder and I looked up at Shisui.

I never saw this coming. I never knew it would happen again. Just a week ago we were falling in love all over again but he just had to stop it. I never knew I was going to lose him for a second time. I didn't know how this was going to play out, I knew nothing. However, the one thing I did know was that I was never ever going to forgive him.

"M-Melody…" My eyes widened when I thought about her, "Oh my…Melody!"

My body jumped up, leaving the groceries on the sidewalk, ignoring Shisui as he followed me into the building. I looked at the ruined glass doors that lead to the entrance of the apartment complex. I saw Mira resting her back up against the brown desk that she used as a reception desk. I quickly ran over to her and her eyes sadly looked to me. She had a cut on her forehead, with blood coming down her face.

"Mira!" I yelled out and she put a hand to my shoulder.

"I'm fine…darling…But…M-Melody…and Itachi…" She gasped as the tears came down her cheeks, "They…came out of nowhere…They just busted my doors…and came in demanding information…I refused…and they just pushed me up against this desk…I lightly banged my head against the corner…Nothing serious, my dear…" She caught her breath, "They found him…I'm so sorry…I tried to stop them…But they went in…And took him…I hope he is okay…And…Oh my…Melody! Oh no, Melody!"

"Don't worry mother, I'll check on her. Shisui…" I turned to him and he acknowledged my silent order to watch over her.

I ran away from the scene and headed up the stairs to my apartment. As I got to the floor I saw neighbours crowding around my door. I gulped and squeezed through them all. Our front door was kicked in. I walked in slowly and looked around at the demolished apartment. Our kitchen was ruined, our couches were torn apart. Even the television screen was smashed. My eyes widened and I screamed once I saw Melody laying on the table in the living room.

I charged over to her and knelt down beside her. She had blood on her knuckles and some coming from the sides of her mouth. She winced in pain the moment I touched her. The tears flowed off of my face the moment her eyes slowly found mine. Tears came down her cheeks to.

"M-Melo…Melody…" I cried her name and she just smiled.

"I'm so sorry…" She told me, "I tried to stop them…I tried…"

"It's not your fault Melody…"

"I…He protected me…They smashed him into the television…" She cried even more and the sobs began, "He fought so hard…He tried so hard…"

"I know…I know Melody…Are you okay?"

"I'll live…"

"What happened?"

"I grabbed the frying pan…I punched them in the face…One grabbed me and threw me down into this table." She sighed, "Man did I punch him good…" She chuckled but sadly turned back to me, "Suine…"

"What happened here!?" A voice shrieked out in pain, "Suine! Melo…Melody! Melody, love!"

I watched as Kisame slide over to us and quickly picked Melody off of the table. He let her rest in his arms and she smiled at him. The tears streamed down his face, which then fell onto Melody's cheeks.

"Who…Who did this to you?" Kisame angrily asked but she put a hand to his cheek.

"They…They took him…" She told him and he dug his face into her neck.

"I'll fucking kill them all…" He muttered and I felt my head drop.

"I've had enough of these assholes…" My fists clenched together which made Kisame and Melody turn to me. I stood up and felt the anger surge through my body, "Nobody takes the man I love away from me again…It's time I stepped in, it's time I fought back…"

"But…But how?" Melody asked me and I turned to her. I guess my eyes showed so much anger because Melody flinched when she looked to me.

"Simple…" I felt my voice say through my gritted teeth, "We rescue Itachi and kick their fucking asses while we do it."


	14. Chapter 14

_Hello Guys! Hope you are enjoying the story :) This chapter, i know, has extremely naive ideas! I know for a fact that none of these ideas would fly by in a real company but just deal! Sorry for the stupid ideas but I could not come up with anything else. Still i hope you enjoy it anyways :) _

_The Conference_

"Thank you for coming…" I said as I held the door open for him to enter the room, "Sorry about the mess, we are trying to clean it up as much as possible."

"It's okay…" He began and he lightly sighed to me, "You know the conference is tomorrow right?"

"I know…That is why we need to get this plan figured out by tonight…That is why we need you…"

"I know why you need me…"

"Do you know where he is?" Kisame asked as he showed him to the couch, where Melody sat beside him.

"Father is keeping him locked up downstairs in a basement that he hides from mother…" Sasuke began as he sighed, "I tried to get down there to go see him but the security around that door is crazy. I fear the only chance we have to get him out of there is when father leaves for the conference tomorrow. He will leave early, he always does. It doesn't give us much time but it will be easier to get in there."

"Alright…So here's what I'm thinking…" I began and they all turned to me, "Kisame, Melody and me will hid behind the walls of the Uchiha house…The moment that your father leaves you need to send us a signal. Is there any sort of noise you can do?"

"I can do a snake…" He shyly told me and I nodded.

"That will do just fine. So after we hear Sasuke's call we jump over the wall and take out any guards that we can. Any help would be appreciated." I explained and Sasuke nodded, "We will get in the house and you will take us to Itachi."

"Understood."

"Once we get Itachi we have very little time to prepare him for the conference, so hopefully he is not in any bad condition. Once we get him prepared we are going to need a car or something to get us to that conference fast enough…"

"You kids can borrow my car…" Mira began but I shook my head.

"We need someone to have the car prepared and running…" I told her and she sighed.

"I can do it." Shisui let out and everyone turned to him, "I will do anything for Master Itachi. I will be able to sneak into the Uchiha Company and get a faster car. I will be there for when you need it."

"Great thank you Shisui." I lightly smiled but it was interrupted by Kisame.

"We are going to need a disguise…If they see us-" Kisame began but I held a hand up to stop him.

"I'm already on top of it Kisame-san." I explained, "I have gathered black outfits for us, it will be helpful when getting in there."

"Okay."

"Sweeties…Sasuke, Shisui…Please be careful. I know that I shouldn't be allowing you to do this but I know it is for Itachi…It's for a good cause. So just promise me that you will be careful and not be caught by the cops." Mira began and we all nodded.

"No need to worry mother." Melody told her, "Suine is the smartest girl I know. I trust her plan, I don't expect there to be any flaws."

"There cannot be any flaws." I started, "If we mess up even once, we will all be screwed…So I need to make sure that everyone is completely on board with this…"

"Or me?" Sasuke asked seeing who that statement was directed to, "I will. Itachi is my brother…As much as I want to impress father, I cannot let him hurt Itachi along the way. Not to mention I am a part of Itachi's rebuttal against father's project. You can trust me."

"Alright…Then we have a plan." I smiled, "We will save Itachi!"

. . .

"Ugh…This is so warm…" Kisame muttered as he came out of the room with the outfit that I picked for him.

"I'm sorry Kisame-san. It's the best way to cover you from the enemy." I told him and he sighed.

He looked at himself in the mirror and a smile came upon his face. He wore black baggy pants that ended at his ankles where long black socks began. He wore a black long sleeved shirt that was baggy in order to hide his physical body type. Around his waist was a black belt that kept everything from falling off of his body. He wore black gloves that were tight against his hands. He had a mask that covered his neck all the way up to his nose. Around his neck was a black scarf that flowed all the way down to his waist. He wore a black headband that covered his forehead, leaving only his eyes to be left uncovered. Around his head was a hood that I sewed onto the shirt, it covered his hair from sight.

"What's this?" His voice asked but barely any movement could be seen from under his mask. He pointed to a symbol that was on his right shoulder.

I stared at the symbol. It was a red cloud with a white outline that was stitched onto the sleeve of the shirt. I shrugged my shoulders and he sighed.

"It must be the company that made it." I told him and we were interrupted by Melody who came out of her room, dressed up in the same clothes as Kisame and me.

"Ah don't we all just look…like a bunch of ninjas." Melody chuckled and Kisame put his hands together, putting a couple fingers up.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" He replied and we both looked to him, "What? You said ninjas. It just came to my mind when you said it. Thought I would roll with it."

"I think my boyfriend has lost it Suine." Melody muttered to me and I laughed.

"Well now that no one can tell who we are, we should get going. Sasuke says that his father will be leaving in about 15 minutes. Remember, wait for Sasuke's signal."

"We will remember Suine. Do not worry." Kisame told me.

We all walked out of our apartment and quickly headed towards Itachi's house, avoiding anyone seeing us in these ridiculous outfits. When we got to his house we quickly hid behind one of the walls that they had surrounding their house. I peeked around the corner, closely watching the entrance to the house. There was a limousine parked out in front with the door open.

"We made it." I muttered and watched as Itachi's father was escorted into the limousine.

I hid back behind the wall and Kisame and Melody followed suit. I closed my eyes, listening to the sounds around me. I heard the car start up and drive away. I waited, for Sasuke's signal. It had to happen soon, I knew it did. Suddenly, a voice began to hiss and my eyes shot open.

"That's the signal. Let's go." I muttered to Kisame and Melody.

We all began to climb the wall, slightly resting on the top of the wall. I looked into the courtyard and saw Sasuke lightly smile to us. He walked into the house, causing the guards to pay attention to him rather than anyone else. There were five guards around the courtyard; he really didn't want Itachi to get out.

"Ok…Kisame, Melody, head to the rooftop of the house and catch some off guard there. I will go down right now and take out these two guards…" I whispered to them, "Hurry we don't have much time."

They both nodded and silently began to follow the wall to the rooftop. It just seemed so natural, to be doing things like this. I shook that thought out of my head and jumped down from the wall. I hid in the bushes behind two guards. I quietly went behind one of them and japed my hand into the side of his neck. He fell unconscious in a second and I turned to the other guard who took notice to his friend falling down to the ground. He turned around to me with an angered look on his face. I closed my eyes the moment I saw him prepare a punch for me. However I heard something hit him and I opened my eyes in time to see him fall to the ground right beside me. I looked up and saw Sasuke standing there with a frying pan in his hand.

"Suine?" He lightly asked and I nodded. He held a hand out to me, pulling me up from the ground, "Let's hurry. I just took the guards out in the house; mom is hysterical but just ignore her for now."

"Okay. Thank you Sasuke." I told him and he lightly smiled.

I looked over to Kisame and Melody who had already jumped off of the rooftop to attack the other guards. They easily took them out and Kisame threw an extra punch to a guard that he knocked out.

"That's what you get for throwing my girlfriend into a table." Kisame sighed and we all ran into the house together.

We followed Sasuke as he brought us through the old Japanese house. I ignored enjoying the sights and just followed Sasuke as he led us through the weaving hallways of the house. Suddenly, a woman came out of nowhere and stood in front of Sasuke. She had long dark blue hair like Sasuke's that ended in the middle of her back. Her gentle black eyes looked worried as she stared at Sasuke. She wore a light purple long sleeve shirt that was mostly covered by a light brown apron that covered the rest of her body all the way down to her white socks.

"Sasuke! What are you-" She began and then she saw us, "Who are these people!? Why are they in our house?"

"Mom, calm down." He put a hand onto her shoulder, "They are here to save Itachi-"

"Save Itachi? What are you talking about you know your brother has been missing for days-"

"Mom, Father lied to you okay? Itachi never ran away, he was banished by father. I will explain it all later these people are Itachi's friends. They need to get Itachi to that Conference in order to stop father's project."

"I…I…"

"Miss Uchiha." I began and I lightly took off the hood, along with the headband and mask, "My name is Suine Iburame. I am a friend to Itachi, your son. I understand that this must be difficult to understand, especially with us dressed like criminals."

Kisame and Melody lightly took off their hoods to follow suit. I knew that she needed reassuring; she had been lied to this entire time. She had no idea that her husband did any of this to her son. I smiled lightly, understanding that she would not give up our identities to the authorities. Her eyes widened the moment she saw my smile.

"Itachi was taken from our apartment a couple of days ago. By the very men that are in your courtyard." I told her and her lips began to tremble, "I am here to save your son from your husband…I want you to know that we are not criminals but simply those who care deeply for your son."

"Deeply?" She let out and my eyes widened, "You care deeply for my son?"

"Yes. I…" I felt my voice get caught in my throat but I forced it out. I went up to her and held my hands out to her, which she gladly took, "I am in love with your son."

"Love?" Sasuke's eyes widened and then sighed, "Lucky son of a bitch."

"Why got a crush on Suine?" Kisame nudged Sasuke and he shook his head.

"No. He got to screw up and get the girl of his dreams…I wish I could get that."

"Well maybe if you weren't an evil prick at school, you would." Melody told him and he blinked a couple of times.

"You were the one…He cried about aren't you?" Itachi's mother asked me and I nodded, "Sasuke are you sure Itachi is here?"

"Positive mother." Sasuke told her.

"Take us to him will you."

Sasuke nodded and yet again began to lead the way to his father's office. When we were in there he quickly went over to his father's brown desk. He crouched down and put his hand on the bottom of the desk, pressing some secret button. I watched as a bookcase on the side of the wall pushed over to the side, revealing stairs that lead down to a secret basement. Before anyone else had a chance I quickly ran down the stairs, determined to find Itachi. I saw a metal door once I reached the end of the stairs. I quickly opened it up and saw Itachi sitting down with an exhausted look on his face. His back was leaned up against the cold wall and the little window in the corner was the only source of light that shinned upon him. My eyes welled up with tears and I quickly ran over to him.

"Itachi!" I heard his mother say as I put a hand to his cheek.

"Itachi-kun…" I began and watched as his tired eyes slowly looked at me.

"S-Suine…" His voice coughed, "You…You came…"

"Of course I came, I promised didn't I?"

A light smiled came upon his face as Kisame knelt down in front of him. Melody came to the other side of him and together we helped him get onto Kisame's back. He was weak, tired and exhausted. Kisame began to piggy back him up the stairs. Sasuke began to lead him to his room, where we would prepare him for the conference. Melody followed Kisame but Itachi's mother stayed down here with me.

"Suine…" Her voice began, "I try not to seem easily fooled but it seems that I have." I turned to her and I saw the tears come streaming down her face, "I'd assume that Itachi has been living with you this entire time?"

"Yes, ma'am." I replied and she sighed.

"He made me believe that Itachi hated us and he ran away because he never wanted to see us again…How could I have been so stupid?"

"I would not blame yourself ma'am." I told her as I walked up beside her, "There are many times when someone has been fooled but that does not make them stupid. You did nothing wrong, you had full trust in your husband like you are supposed to. It was his stupidity that made him fool you and made him do this. Never once did we blame you."

"Itachi doesn't hate me does he?"

"No…He never spoke ill of you only of his father."

"You really are a special girl. You rescued him so many times."

"On the contrary…He's rescued me way too many more."

She lightly smiled and together we walked up the steps, leaving the secret basement alone. She brought me upstairs where we walked into Itachi's old room. Sasuke ran right in front of me, holding a suit. He lightly gave the suit to Melody who then laid it out onto the bed.

"This one is good enough for a conference right?" Melody asked Sasuke who just laughed.

"Yes." He began, "Now I have to get ready too…Please take care of him while I am gone."

She nodded as to reply to his wish and he ran past his mother and me to enter his room. I looked to my left to see a bathroom where I saw Kisame blowing drying Itachi's wet hair. I'm assuming that they gave him some sort of fast shower.

"Melody the suit!" Kisame told Melody who quickly grabbed the suit and brought it over to him.

Kisame shut the door and Melody backed away from the door. Itachi's mother sat down on his bed, allowing all the information to come hit her. Melody lightly turned to me and I sighed.

"He is lucky…To have friends like you. Just like Sasuke is lucky to have Naruto and Sakura…" She smiled, "I don't know how I can ever repay you for taking care of my son while he was gone…But I want you all to know that I never would have wished this life for him…Not at all…"

"We know…" Melody smiled lightly and the bathroom door suddenly opened.

Itachi was sitting in a chair, looking at the mirror that Kisame had him up in front of. His hair was brushed; he had a black suit on which always looked good. But something was missing. His tired eyes stared back at his reflection.

"He's too tired, I don't know if he can go through with this." Kisame told us and I bit my lip, "We need to wake him up somehow."

"Coffee?" Melody suggested but Sasuke came in to interrupt that thought.

"Don't have time for that. It would take too long to make, plus we need to be leaving in 2 minutes. Where is Shisui!?" He asked as he was answered by the honks of a car outside of the house, "Well here I guess."

"We need to wake him up somehow. A jolt of anything. Scaring him?" Kisame asked and I shook my head.

"Itachi doesn't scare easily…" I sighed.

"You could kiss him." Melody pointed out and I felt my cheeks burn up.

"W-What!?" I yelled out and turned back to Itachi who was too tired to pay attention to this conversation.

"Ah come on! He'll get so embarrassed that he will wake up! It's perfect! It will only take a matter of seconds." Melody suggested and Kisame nodded.

"W-W-Well…" I stuttered, "I-If it's so easy…W-W-Why don't you…ki-kiss him…"

"Well one Kisame wouldn't allow that and two he doesn't like me…he likes you." Melody explained, "Come on we don't have much time Suine. Just do it."

"I…I…"

Melody pushed me into the bathroom and Kisame pulled the chair back away from the mirror so I had some space in front of Itachi. My cheeks burnt up as I looked at the completely exhausted Itachi. My hands began to shake and I could feel my heart beat go like crazy. How was I supposed to do this? I couldn't just kiss him.

"We have one minute Suine, just do it." Sasuke told me and I looked to see everyone, even Itachi's mother, crowding the entrance to the bathroom in order to watch.

I ignored my mind that wanted to run out of the bathroom and scream. I turned back to Itachi who still stared off into space. He was trying so hard to fight off the sleep but he couldn't. I had to wake him up; if I didn't then thousands of people wouldn't have a place to sleep anymore. Come on Suine, it's just a kiss. That's all it is. Just a kiss.

I bent down closer to Itachi and I felt my cheeks burn up even more. I slowly pushed my lips closer to his. Once I got so close that our lips were just beginning to touch I felt everything in my body tense up. I ignored it and pushed my body forward, against my will. I felt my lips touch his and a huge shock went through my body. My eyes widened and he kissed me back. Slowly his eyes opened more but they widened like crazy when he saw my face. It was like he had no idea who he was kissing when he kissed back. His cheeks burnt up quickly and he pulled away quicker than ever. He lost balance on his chair and fell off of the chair and onto the ground.

"Well I guess that works. Good job Suine." Kisame blurted out as Itachi shot up from the ground.

"What is going on here!?" He screamed out trying to hide his burning cheeks, "What do you mean good job? Why did you kiss me!? And why is everyone watching!?"

"Welcome back Itachi. She had to kiss you to give you an adrenaline shot so that you would be ready to do the conference. Now let's get going. We can explain more in the car." Melody stated and Itachi looked over to me.

"I…Right the uh…conference. Let's go. We aren't too late are we?" He asked.

"Not if we leave right now."

We all rushed out of the house, including Itachi's mother who decided to come along. I figured she would, probably to talk to her husband or something like that. We all got into the limousine that Shisui was driving. I was pushed to the end of the seats where I could stare out of the window. Itachi was sitting beside me but he joined the conversation that everyone began to start. However, my mind focused on the kiss that I had with Itachi and how it made me feel. I stared off into the window and I could feel the daydreams begin.

"_And that is why I think that animals can fly." Kisame started but I didn't pay attention. I felt a hand grab onto my forearm in the seat of the limousine beside me. _

_ The hand twisted me around to face its owner. Itachi pushed me into the corner of the seat I was in. He had a lustful look in his eyes and a smile upon his face. My eyes widened as he gently came closer to me. He locked his lips with mine and he put a hand on the back of my neck to deepen the kiss. _

"Suine?" Itachi's voice asked me and I shook off that daydream and turned to him.

"Are you okay? Were you daydreaming?" Melody asked and my eyes locked with Itachi's.

"Ye…Yea…" I let out and Itachi's eyes widened.

He looked at me curiously and a little smirk came to his face. As everyone just went back to their conversations Itachi continued to stare at me. Finally he brought his lips closer to me and I felt my heart skip a beat. However, his lips went to my ears and disappointed my heart.

"Were you daydreaming about me, Suine?" He whispered to me as he backed up to look at my face again.

"Wha…Don't…" I tried to say something that would disprove his theory but his eyes stopped me, "No?"

"No?" His smile grew and he brought his lips closer to me again. Instead of going to my ear he looked me directly in the eyes. I gulped and he went back to his seat.

"Don't do that." I told him and I could feel the eyes of everyone on us.

"Do what Suine?" His smile grew even more, "This is going to be way too much fun."

"Idiot!" I screamed as I whacked him over the head, "Don't you tease me like that! That is not fair!"

"Tease?" Kisame asked and I covered my mouth, "Itachi don't be like that. We asked Suine to kiss you."

"Yeah but they didn't ask you to daydream about it." He whispered to me and I whacked him over the head again.

"Ugh, I hate men!" I yelled out as I turned away from everyone.

"Itachi be nice to Suine." His mother stood up for me.

"Sorry Mother." He lightly replied and suddenly the car stopped.

"We are here Master Itachi." Shisui said from the driver seat.

"Thank you Shisui." Itachi smiled and we all began to get out of the limousine.

. . .

Itachi paced around from behind the stage as his father continued the debate without us even arriving. Sasuke tried to calm his brother down but it seemed to only make things worse. Itachi's mother sneaked into the conference's guest chairs, hiding her face from her husband. Kisame and Melody were with me, hiding a bit away from the stage. I went up to Itachi and he stopped pacing the moment he saw me.

"You should go hide. Father is almost done and if he sees you-" He began but I shook my head.

"I don't care if he sees me Itachi-kun." I told him and his eyes widened, "So who cares let him see me. I want to support you and Sasuke-san." I smiled at Sasuke who blushed lightly, "Just calm down, I know that you have this down pat. You will surely win this council over I can promise you that."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Thanks Suine."

"Hey don't forget about us kid!" Kisame lightly patted Itachi on the back and Melody gave him a thumbs up, "You are gonna kill it out there!"

"Yeah go save thousands of lives!" Melody smiled and Itachi nodded.

"Thank you all. I'm glad to know that I can rely on my comrades. Even if they are dressed like ninjas…Which surprisingly looks good." Itachi chuckled and we all laughed.

"All right. Fugaku Uchiha has shared his side now it is time for the rebuttal of this project. We have…wow…Fugaku's two sons, Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha!" The announcer said and the crowd began to whisper.

Fugaku came off the stage and his eyes widened when he saw us. My eyes widened at the look of Itachi's father, I had never seen him before. He had short brown hair that ended in the middle of his neck, with bangs just like Itachi's. He had deep black eyes that showed his anger he had for us right about now. He wore a black suit with a black tie, which made him look fancy but he still looked like a dick to me. He angrily came up to us and turned his attention to Itachi.

"I do not know how you were able to get him out of there but I promise you that nothing you say son can change their minds. They are on my side." Fugaku threatened Itachi but he never backed down.

"We will see about that father." Itachi retorted and his father just walked on past him.

"You got this Itachi." I told him to reassure him despite what his father had said.

He lightly put a hand to my cheek and smiled. I felt my cheeks burn up at the thought of him kissing me. Is he teasing me again? However, he let go before I could figure out if I was right or not. He breathed in and then walked on the stage with Sasuke following him. Kisame, Melody and I quickly went around the stage to watch them and the council's reaction.

"Um…" Itachi began as he reached the podium and the microphone, "Hello everyone, my name is Itachi Uchiha and this is my younger brother Sasuke Uchiha." Itachi lightly smiled as Sasuke bowed his head lightly in respect, "We bring a rebuttal against my father's project ideas. I think that the project is morally wrong."

"Morally wrong?" A voice from the crowd began.

"Yes. I do not know if my father has specified to you the consequences of expanding the company in the downtown area. There are thousands of people there that you will be taking their homes from if you continue with this project. I know you think that expanding is the answer to this company's problem but it isn't. At the risk of hurting other humans it is not." Itachi retorted.

"But they are poor…" Another voice began.

"Does it make a difference?" Sasuke asked them and everyone turned to him, "They are still human beings just trying to make it through life one step at a time. Sure they are not as lucky as we are to get money or be born into wealth but that does not make them less of a human being than us."

"Sasuke is right. Those humans are just like us. They breathe air like us, they eat like us. They are no different from us. They are siblings, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and best friends…and lovers…" Itachi looked down lightly but he looked back up again, "Those people go to school with us, they work for us, they help us build this nation. What right do we have to take their homes away from them in order to expand our company?"

"Well if we have the money to purchase that property-" A voice began but Itachi pointed to that man.

"Do you have a family sir?" Itachi asked and the man nodded, "A child perhaps? Children?"

"Two."

"Ah so you have a family sir. Now imagine someone coming knocking on your door asking you to take your family and push them on the street because they want your house for selfish reasons. Imagine having to look your two children in the eyes and explain to them why they will have to scrounge for food rather than have it on a table like they are used to. These people are normal people. They have families and lives. They have a tough time just trying to keep their heads above the water! They don't need men in suits coming to their doors and kicking them out."

"So you're only reason is because we will be leaving people on the streets?" Another voice asked and Itachi sighed.

"Isn't that reason enough?" He asked and everyone's eyes widened, "Look to your humanity for a second. To the laws that we have; the equality we are supposed to share. I know that you all want to get richer and I understand that is the point of the game but even still at what cost are you willing to get that money. Any money that you get from a project like this is dirty money." Itachi paused, "Those people that live there…I know them. I walk to school with them; I know their names and their families. I'm their friend, I'm their classmate. Nothing gives me the right to destroy their lives for selfish reasons."

"Aren't you being hypocritical since you still have this 'dirty' money?" A voice continued to catch Itachi of guard.

"No. I am not rich anymore. I actually live in that area that you want to destroy." He began and everyone gasped, "I know it is surprising but I have my own job and my own apartment. With roommates and people I care about. Those people down there are great, good and honest people."

"So what would you have us do with the money? How are we supposed to make money?" A guy asked and Itachi's smile grew.

"I was hoping you would ask that. Okay, I have done plenty of research about this to figure out what works and what doesn't. Instead of destroying those houses, let's fix them. Build them to be better, build them to house the families. Let's help those people get their heads out of the water, let's help them make a living." Itachi paused, "If we show everyone that we care and that we want to help them…Then that will sell our products in a matter of seconds."

"They will trust the company…" Someone spoke out and Itachi's eyes brightened up.

"Exactly. If we help them off of their feet, who are they going to trust? Us. If we build them a home, whose technology are they going to want to buy? Ours. If we help them get better jobs, what are their kids going to get for presents? Our products. If you destroyed their homes, you would lose money; no one would want to buy your products. But if you do this, if you help them…They will turn to you for everything. They will love our company and will want to do everything they can to be a part of it. If we use this projects money to help those in need, they will want nothing more than to help us in return. That's just how humans are. Whenever someone helps us we want to return the favour. Our humanity will get you richer, not destroying the lives of people." Itachi finished and the people looked around at each other. They clapped loudly for him and he smiled lightly.

He turned to me and let out a huge breath of relief. I smiled lightly as I felt the tears come down my cheeks. He inspired them I could feel it in their smiles. He saved us; he saved everyone in the downtown area. And he is going to help us. I jumped onto the stage and put my arms around him, hugging him. He put his arms around me and gave me a hug back. I heard some awe's go throughout the room and Itachi let me go. Sasuke, Itachi and I walked off of the stage where we were met with Itachi's father Fugaku.

"Itachi…" He began and Itachi looked angrily at him, "You just ruined this company-"

"On the contrary father, I believe I made it better." Itachi began but his father smirked.

"Just because you have some insolent little girl here to somehow support you does not mean that you have won, son." He paused and I felt my blood boil, "You will always be a worthless pathetic excuse for a son. You are an ungrateful, selfish, foolish little boy! You are the worst disappointment I could have ever got! You are scum-"

I felt my hand move before my mind had time to process it. I slapped him hard against his face. His eyes widened as his cheek moved due to the force of the slap I gave him. He looked back to me and before his anger could come back I felt my voice speak up.

"How dare you!?" I began to yell at him, "Where does your insolent mind have the idiotic idea that it is your damn given right to say those things to your amazing son!? How dare you even think to say that he is a disappointment! If anyone is a disappointment it is how pathetic a father you are! You resort to unbelievable ways to control your sons minds and then kick them out when, god forbid, they have a different opinion to you! I am surprised your kids aren't psychopaths with the way you raised them to fear and hate those beneath them! Lucky for you, they had great friends that taught them otherwise! So now the only dick in the Uchiha family is you!" I breathed in, "You are a cowardly man! An immature, arrogant, pretentious, belligerent, rude, impolite, crude, worthless man! You're sons are gods compared to a piece of dirt like you! Nobody gets to hurt these boys like you did! Nobody-"

"Gets to fool me and hurt my sons without getting away with it." Itachi's mother stepped in and their father sunk deeper into his skin, "She had you all right! You used to be a man worth loving but now what are you!? A power driven mad man! And you are coming home to explain yourself and hope to god that I have the decency to forgive your sorry ass!"

Itachi and Sasuke's eyes widened as I turned back around to them. Sasuke chuckled and held a hand up for me to high five. Itachi smiled lightly and just pulled me into a hug. I felt the warmth of his body reach mine which needed warmth after all my hot air blew out.

"You are the greatest thing that ever happened to me Suine." Itachi lightly said to me, "Thank you for coming to my life."


	15. Chapter 15

_About Time_

It had been two days since the conference and needless to say things had finally calmed down. I got a letter from Itachi's mother the other day that basically told me that she loved me for what I had said and wanted Itachi to write to her at least once a month. She also left me a P.S. that said she got her husband in so much trouble. I laughed at that and I was happy that things had finally settled down for Itachi.

The council had of course chosen Itachi's project instead of his father. They are working on getting workers to help upgrade the downtown area, which the people are so happy about. The council even offered Itachi a job at the company but he refused. He said that he wanted to wait until he was older to make the decision to join the company or not. They respected his decision.

The night we came home we had a board game night, like we were supposed to so many days ago. I lost every round but at least Itachi won some. It was great to have our big family back again. And to know that it wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

I sighed as I walked to school with everyone smiling as Kisame made some more jokes. Itachi walked beside me as we headed closer to the gates of our school. We still had not discussed the kiss or the daydreaming. I had wanted to but every time I try to bring it up my throat tightens and I end up losing it before Itachi has a chance to guess what I wanted to talk about. It was obvious now how I felt about him. But we still refrained from talking about it. This suspense was killing me.

"Hey Suine." Itachi's voice began and I looked to him, "You going to the festival tonight?"

"Festival?" I asked and Melody laughed.

"Yeah silly did you forget that today is the last day of our third year?" Melody asked and I nodded.

"Guess I did." I smiled lightly.

"Maybe we shouldn't have told her. We could have laughed at her tomorrow morning when she got up to go to school." Kisame joked and I looked angrily at him.

"That isn't funny." I told him but everyone else laughed.

When we got to school, Kisame lightly kissed Melody to say goodbye and Itachi went up to me. I blushed at the thought of him kissing me goodbye but I shook that thought off.

"Can you do something for me Suine?" Itachi asked and I nodded, "Tonight, when the festival starts. Meet me on the roof, okay?"

"The roof?" I asked and he smiled lightly, "Okay. I will."

"Great, I'll see you then."

He smiled as he walked off and joined Kisame to walk to their lockers. Melody slide herself over to me. She raised her eyebrows at me a couple of times and I blinked at her.

"Is something wrong Melody?" I asked her and she sighed, "Your eyebrows were-"

"Suine are you and Itachi ever going to hook up?" She asked and I felt my cheeks burn up.

"Well…I…"

"Are you ever going to tell him that you love him?"

"Well…I…I…"

"What's going on Melody?" Sakura came into the conversation which made me jump, "What's with her?"

"She's all jumpy because she doesn't want everyone to know that she is too much of a wimp to tell Itachi how she feels." Melody sighed and Ino looked surprised.

"Really? Still? Oh man, you need to get on that. If you don't maybe he will fall for Yuka again…" Ino began and I screamed out my answer.

"No he won't! He loves me!" I screamed.

"If you are so sure why don't you just go tell him that you love him too…" Sakura asked and I sighed.

"It's harder than it looks…I just…My throat tightens, I get chills, and my heart beats way too fast."

"The symptoms of love…Come on it's never going to get better unless you tell him."

"Well…I can try tonight. We are meeting up for the festival."

"Good…" Sakura smiled as she pulled me into a hug, "You always gave me good advice Suine…And now I hope you take mine. Tell that boy how you feel before you regret it…I did it with Sasuke-kun and now I regret every decision to not tell him."

"I'll tell him…I promise."

She let me go and we all began to walk down the hallway to our lockers. My mind tried so hard to figure out what I was going to say to Itachi on that rooftop. There had to be something, some way I could get it out easily. Oh damn, this is why I hate men.

. . .

Melody smiled as she brought me to the door that leads to the stairs that would bring me to the rooftop. Kisame lightly patted me on the back for some support but I feel like it didn't work. I breathed in lightly and breathed out heavily. My body shook as I opened the door and began to walk up the stairs.

Had I thought over this thoroughly enough? Had I thought of every outcome, of every possibility? Oh. My. God. I am freaking out. I am going to have a heart attack at this rate. What if he doesn't like me? That's stupid of course he likes you! Oh god, I am so unprepared. I felt my hands get all sweaty and my body begin to shake again. I tried so hard to shake it off but as I saw the door to the rooftop I knew that was impossible. Fuck! I am so screwed.

I opened the door and felt my body freeze at the image I had. Itachi was leaning up against the railings they had surrounding the rooftop for safety. His arms rested on the railing and he looked out to the dark sky. The moon was bright and the stars made the sky look so perfect. To the right was where Itachi was, looking down at the festival that happened in the back of the school. A large fire was in the middle of the schoolyard with kids dancing around it. There were some stands around the fire that had games to play. This really was the perfect night.

I gulped and moved my frozen body towards Itachi. He noticed me and lightly smiled to me. He motioned for me to come over to him, which I did. I leaned up against the railing like him and looked down to the festival. I saw Kisame and Melody dancing around the fire so elegantly. They really were beautiful together.

"Suine…" Itachi began, "Do you know why I brought you up here?"

"I…I have a guess." I began feeling my cheeks burn up, "But before you say anything I think I should say my part first."

"Are you sure? Your so shy…I doubt you'll be able to get anything out."

"Shut up!" I paused but I quickly gave up, "Okay fine go first…"

"You're so adorable." He bluntly said which made my cheeks burn up more, "Okay…I know that I haven't exactly had the time to tell you what I have wanted to say for way to long now." He paused and he turned to me, making me turn to him, "I mean you had to have known…From the start."

"From the start?"

"Yeah. Being around you and having your smile around me…It made me the happiest person in the world. And not too soon after I realized that I loved you, Suine." He paused, "That's usually when you say your part."

"Oh I'm so sorry…" My heart skipped another beat, "Just hearing you say it…I mean I played it a million times over in my head but hearing it…Just makes me so happy…You know I love you too Itachi." My eyes widened, "Ha! That wasn't hard at all, it's just slipped out."

"Oh Suine…" He lightly grabbed my hand, "I planned it to be a whole more romantic than this but…I figured that maybe just telling you…Just sharing with you my feelings rather than trying to make you lose your words at my romantic abilities…I thought that you would appreciate that much more than anything. After all, though you are complicated in other things, when it comes to love you are as simplistic as a rose."

"I say you're still pulling some romantic charms out…" I smiled, "But you know maybe a couple of romantic words won't kill me."

"Well I mean I was just planning on kissing you but if you rather me romance you-"

"You were going to kiss me!? Damn it!"

"I know how many times you daydreamed about it happening again." He chuckled and I turned away from him in anger, "But…No need to worry Suine…It's only going to be real from now on…By the way what do you mean by playing it a million times over? Did you daydream about this too?"

"No silly!" I lightly whacked him on the head, "I replayed something like this over and over again because I wanted to make it perfect…I knew that you were worth the effort…So I wanted to make it perfect."

"Oh Suine…" He blushed lightly and then he lightly caressed my cheek, "You could have done this situation a million times over and no matter what it would have been perfect…" He came closer to me, putting his nose of my forehead, "You are perfect Suine, and in everything that you do…You don't need to try to do things differently for me…"

"Still trying to romance me?" I asked and his eyes grew serious as they locked with mine, "Itachi-kun…?"

"No…" He lightly smiled, "It's the truth…You are perfect…I love you…"

My eyes widened at his words but I was interrupted by his lips slowly coming closer to mine. His eyes closed as his hand found its way to the back of my neck. I felt my eyes slowly close the moment his lips touched mine. He kissed me and he pulled me closer to him to deepen the kiss. His arm went around my waist and my hands found their way to his chest, resting there lightly.

Suddenly, a firework went off but Itachi's lips stayed upon mine. I didn't want to move and I knew that he wanted to stay as well.

"It's About Time!" I heard a voice, similar to Kisame's, screamed from the ground.

Itachi pulled back from the kiss and our eyes slowly opened. We looked down to see Kisame and Melody clapping for us. We both chuckled and Itachi just waved his hand to Kisame telling him to go away. Itachi turned back to me and I felt a smile creep upon my face.

"I love you too…Itachi-kun." I smiled lightly.

"Tell me…Was the daydream better?" He asked and I shook my head.

"No way…Not even a little bit." I explained and I felt my lips go onto his instinctively.

He lightly kissed back as his hand intertwined with mine. This year had been a crazy ass roller coaster but all of it was worth it. It was worth it because I got to be with him at the end. Now I know that my happiness is found. Together I know that we can accomplish anything. Mother if you're up there, I hope you approve of my heart's choice. I hope that I can make you proud by using our happiness to save the world from the darkness.

_Well i hope you enjoyed :) I do have a sequel that takes place in fourth year and epilogue that i will be posting later :) _


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